PAARL – A thrilling 30-ball 55 by Aviwe Mgijima helped the Cape Cobras consolidate their position at the top of the CSA T20 Challenge table with a narrow three-wicket win over the Titans at Boland Park in Paarl on Wednesday.
The right-hander struck three sixes and three fours for his career-best score in a high-scoring affair, which saw the 182/3 set by the defending champions chased down with seven balls to spare.
The home side had briefly lost top position earlier in the evening when the Warriors thumped the Highveld Lions, but regained their spot with a composed victory that put them two points clear with two round-robin games remaining.
They had won the toss and put the Titans into bat, but Mark Boucher’s side responded by amassing a healthy total.
This was thanks in the main to Tony de Zorzi’s 70 off 47 balls (4x4, 3x6) as well as a half-century from Theunis de Bruyn (50 off 37 balls, 4x4, 1x6).
Farhaan Behardien also provided some fireworks at the end with an unbeaten 39 off 18 balls, which included three fours and two sixes.
After the early loss of Hashim Amla (three), Janneman Malan and David Bedingham struck 37 apiece in a 63-run second-wicket stand that helped the Cobras motor along to 83/1 in the ninth over.
Disaster then struck when Shaun von Berg (1/22) hit back to break the stand, before Junior Dala (3/32) nabbed two wickets in four balls to alter the course of the game.
#COBvTTN| THAT'S ALL FOLKS
Rory Kleinveldt finishes it off in style with a 6 as Aviwe Mgijima's 55 not out leads the team home! Cape Cobras win by 3 wickets (with 7 balls remaining) #StrengthInDiversity #T20Challenge pic.twitter.com/avb9ytlqhF
— COBRAS CRICKET (@CobrasCricket) April 24, 2019
It was suddenly 86/4, but Mgijima and Jason Smith (28 off 18 balls) rebuilt with a stand worth 59 for the fifth wicket.
And by the time the partnership ended, just under 40 were needed from the last five overs, with Mgjima ticking along quickly to carry his side over the line.