The Cape Cobras completed one of the most epic meltdowns in Ram Slam T20 Challenge history when they handed the Dolphins a five-run win and a trip to Pretoria to face the Titans in the final on Saturday.
After 15 overs, they were handily placed at 149/3 before some questionable batting choices and decent death bowling hauled the Dolphins back into the contest.
It was a choke of Proteas proportions.
The Dolphins had no business winning this game, especially after their terrible bowling allowed the Cobras to pile up 130/2 in 13 overs. In the powerplay, they were 77/0 with Richard Levi in sublime form.
How Paul Adams and his brains trust allowed Rory Kleinveldt to come ahead of Justin Ontong was mind boggling but their approach in the final five overs with 30 runs needed was equally puzzling.
While the runrate was manageable, they tried to hit their way to glory after an outstanding 43-ball 85 from Levi who fell with the score on 132/3 in the 14th over to Cameron Delport.
Wayne Parnell (27) and Andrew Puttick (3) were keen spectators even though they gave their wickets away.
When Lesiba Ngoepe (32), Rory Kleinveldt (4) and Robin Petersen (3) threw their wickets away, they still had a chance but the panic had set in.
Despite dropped catches off consecutive balls by Khaya Zondo off Dwayne Bravo in the 17th over, the Cobras still had a chance but they somehow furrowed deeper into the rabbit hole.
Things went pear-shaped in the last over when Ontong (9) and Dane Paterson (0) were run out and caught off consecutive balls in Andile Phehlukwayo’s last over, who easily defended the nine runs the Cobras required.
It was quite weird when Kevin Pietersen was relegated to a sideshow after a strong start. In a way he only knows how, Pietersen responded with an encore he is only capable off.
It seemed like it was an angry response to his demotion to number four after David Miller came ahead of him.
While his 10-ball 27 was a short knock, it contained two outrageous sixes off Dane Paterson and Wayne Parnell.
The latter one, a Viv Richardsesque helicopter pull shot off a ball that was decently wide outside off stump, froze Parnell’s mind to a point where he could not complete the 18th over due to two waist-high no balls.
That and Miller’s last over 19-run blitz off Mthokozisi Shezi, pushed the Dolphins to a defendable total after winning the toss and batting first.
Kingsmead has not been a ground that is amenable to chasing nor navigable batting recently but a well-paced 99-run opening stand in just under 12 overs.
Delport (55) and Morne van Wyk (57) dealt with the bad balls efficiently and ran well between the wickets.
Delport paced his knock well during his 37-ball stay, crunching three fours and four maximums in reaching his landmark of 33 balls.
He went for one too many when he holed out to Ontong at deep long on off Robin Peterson. After a slow start, Van Wyk trundled to his 50 off 39 balls with six fours and a six before he picked out Sybrand Engelbrecht off Dane Paterson.
While Pietersen had no trouble in picking gaps and finding the boundaries, Miller’s timing deserted him.
While he tallied a decent 33 off 24 balls, it was flattered by his late assault on Shezi. In the end, it did not cost the Dolphins.
Cobras choke in epic T20 defeat
After 15 overs, they were handily placed at 149/3 before some questionable batting choices and decent death bowling hauled the Dolphins back into the contest.
It was a choke of Proteas proportions.
The Dolphins had no business winning this game, especially after their terrible bowling allowed the Cobras to pile up 130/2 in 13 overs. In the powerplay, they were 77/0 with Richard Levi in sublime form.
How Paul Adams and his brains trust allowed Rory Kleinveldt to come ahead of Justin Ontong was mind boggling but their approach in the final five overs with 30 runs needed was equally puzzling.
While the runrate was manageable, they tried to hit their way to glory after an outstanding 43-ball 85 from Levi who fell with the score on 132/3 in the 14th over to Cameron Delport.
Wayne Parnell (27) and Andrew Puttick (3) were keen spectators even though they gave their wickets away.
When Lesiba Ngoepe (32), Rory Kleinveldt (4) and Robin Petersen (3) threw their wickets away, they still had a chance but the panic had set in.
Despite dropped catches off consecutive balls by Khaya Zondo off Dwayne Bravo in the 17th over, the Cobras still had a chance but they somehow furrowed deeper into the rabbit hole.
Things went pear-shaped in the last over when Ontong (9) and Dane Paterson (0) were run out and caught off consecutive balls in Andile Phehlukwayo’s last over, who easily defended the nine runs the Cobras required.
It was quite weird when Kevin Pietersen was relegated to a sideshow after a strong start. In a way he only knows how, Pietersen responded with an encore he is only capable off.
It seemed like it was an angry response to his demotion to number four after David Miller came ahead of him.
While his 10-ball 27 was a short knock, it contained two outrageous sixes off Dane Paterson and Wayne Parnell.
The latter one, a Viv Richardsesque helicopter pull shot off a ball that was decently wide outside off stump, froze Parnell’s mind to a point where he could not complete the 18th over due to two waist-high no balls.
That and Miller’s last over 19-run blitz off Mthokozisi Shezi, pushed the Dolphins to a defendable total after winning the toss and batting first.
Kingsmead has not been a ground that is amenable to chasing nor navigable batting recently but a well-paced 99-run opening stand in just under 12 overs.
Delport (55) and Morne van Wyk (57) dealt with the bad balls efficiently and ran well between the wickets.
Delport paced his knock well during his 37-ball stay, crunching three fours and four maximums in reaching his landmark of 33 balls.
He went for one too many when he holed out to Ontong at deep long on off Robin Peterson. After a slow start, Van Wyk trundled to his 50 off 39 balls with six fours and a six before he picked out Sybrand Engelbrecht off Dane Paterson.
While Pietersen had no trouble in picking gaps and finding the boundaries, Miller’s timing deserted him.
While he tallied a decent 33 off 24 balls, it was flattered by his late assault on Shezi. In the end, it did not cost the Dolphins.
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