Ken Borland

The Chevrolet Knights ensured that they will remain on top of the RamSlam T20 Challenge log as they beat the Unlimited Titans by 35 runs in efficient fashion at SuperSport Park last night.

Even though they finished terribly, losing five wickets and scoring just 21 runs in the last three overs, the Knights managed to post a competitive 179 for seven in their 20 overs after being sent in to bat, and they then bowled superbly as they restricted the Titans to 144 for five.

Rudi Second ensured that they were off to a brisk start as he struck 44 off 26 balls, with seven fours and a six, while fellow opener Gerhardt Abrahams made a more workmanlike 44 off 40 deliveries.

Opening the bowling with left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe did not work for the Titans on this occasion as Second hit him off his lengths, taking 25 off his two overs up front, but a superb display on debut from former SA U19 paceman Corbin Bosch pegged back the Knights.

He had Second caught at third man in his first over and then returned at the death to showcase his brilliant skills, finishing with one for 26 from his four overs.

The Knights were grateful for a vital contribution from West Indian pro Andre Russell for their eventual total, the lanky Jamaican striking some great blows as he belted 48 off 21 balls, with eight fours and two sixes.

Fellow West Indian Darren Sammy produced an inspired 18^th over in which he claimed three wickets, but sadly for the Titans he could not pull off a miracle with the bat.

Dean Elgar anchored the Titans chase with 65 not out off 64 balls, but was unable to find an extra gear, while Sammy failed to perform the power-hitting role so desperately needed by the Titans as he scored 23 off 17 balls.

Captain Henry Davids scored a breezy 29 off 18 balls up front to give the Titans a promising start, but Russell produced an outstanding display with the ball to stop the momentum. He produced a beautiful dipping, slower-ball yorker to bowl Davids and then conceded just 14 runs in the 17^th and 19^th overs to kill off the Titans’ slim hopes.

Opening bowler Dillon du Preez was unable to take a wicket, but bowled with excellent control to concede just 31 runs in his four overs, while Malusi Siboto (4-0-27-1) and Shadley van Schalkwyk (4-0-31-2) also contributed greatly to the Titans being strangled.

*In Cape Town, the Cape Cobras thrashed the Dolphins by eight wickets with 26 balls remaining. Mthokozisi Shezi, playing against his former franchise, and Sybrand Engelbrecht claimed three wickets apiece as the Dolphins were restricted to 127 for nine. Richard Levi (44) and Andrew Puttick (48*) then helped themselves to a dozen boundaries between them as they broke the back of the run-chase.

*Chris Gayle ensured that the Highveld Lions gave the Warriors a proper hiding down in East London as he thrashed 108 not out off 55 balls to complete a 10-wicket victory in the 15^th over. The Warriors chose to bat first but could only muster 144 for six as Lions bowlers Lonwabo Tsotsobe (4-0-13-1), Dwaine Pretorius (4-0-21-1) and spinner Eddie Leie (4-0-19-3) kept things extremely tidy with the ball. Overseas pro Craig Kieswetter led the Warriors batting with 82 not out off 64 balls.

Off-spinner Dane Piedt picked up five wickets, including a hat-trick, as the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras beat the Sunfoil Dolphins by 168 runs in their Sunfoil Series match at Boland Park in Paarl on Sunday to go to the top of the log.

The Dolphins were chasing 253 on the final day to win a thrilling match in which batting collapses after big partnerships were the order of the day.

But a wonderful spell of lively swing bowling by Travis Muller had them deep in trouble from the outset.

Muller swung the ball late and both ways to take five for 21 in nine overs, reducing the Dolphins to 60 for seven.

Piedt then wrapped up the tail, finishing the match with a hat-trick and superb figures of five for 16 in 4.4 overs.

Keshav Maharaj was bowled through the gate by a big-turning off-break for eight and then Mthokozisi Shezi and Craig Alexander both picked out fielders with aggressive strokes.

The Cobras are now nearly six points ahead of the second-placed Chevrolet Knights, but they began the day in disappointing fashion as they were bowled out for 280 in their second innings, having lost their last nine wickets for 87 runs.

Fast bowler Kyle Abbott was once again the destroyer, taking seven for 65 to give him 12 for 125 in the match.

Openers Divan van Wyk (18) and Imraan Khan (21), and captain Morne van Wyk (19 not out) were the only batsmen to reach double figures for the Dolphins as Muller and Piedt formed a formidable duo for the Cobras.

The Knights showed greater staying power than the Chevrolet Warriors as they beat them by 10 wickets on the fourth and final day of their match at Chevrolet Park in Bloemfontein.

The Warriors collapsed to 197 all out in their second innings on Sunday, leaving the Knights with a target of just 71 for victory, and openers Reeza Hendricks and Gihahn Cloete each scored 31 not out as they knocked off those runs in a breezy 18.3 overs.

The Warriors resumed on 25 for three and opener David White (89) and Ryan Bailey (39) fought hard as they added 101 for the fifth wicket before fast bowler Quinton Friend had Bailey caught behind.

Off-spinner Werner Coetsee (three for 47) and seamer Malusi Siboto (two for 27) then claimed the remaining five wickets for just 37 runs, killing off the Warriors’ hopes of setting the Knights a stiff target.

The hesitant, flatfooted Unlimited Titans batsmen succumbed meekly on Saturday as the bizhub Highveld Lions beat them by eight wickets in their match at the BidVest Wanderers Stadium.

The Lions batsmen kept their cool far better on a tricky Wanderers pitch, posting 212 in their first innings to claim a 65-run lead, and then bowling the Titans out for a meagre 110 in their second innings on Saturday.

That left the southern Gauteng team with a target of just 46 for victory and they knocked those runs off for the loss of two wickets in just 9.5 overs, captain Stephen Cook scoring 29 not out.

The gentle medium-pace of Brett Pelser was once again the undoing of the Titans as the all-rounder claimed three for 16 in 9.2 overs for superb match figures of seven for 44.

http://www.enca.com/sport-cricket/piedt-venomous-cobras-trounce-dolphins