Ken Borland

While everyone sympathises with bowlers in the shortest version of the game, there is tremendous pressure on batsmen as well, with double-figure run-rates expected as a norm even under the pressure of a chase. Gayle, arguably the foremost T20 batsman in the world, says partnerships are the key despite his own reputation for single-handedly destroying teams.

“When you lose a couple of early wickets then there’s always even more pressure, but with Symes we were able to build a big partnership, which is very important. If you have a large partnership, then you have a good chance of winning the game,” Gayle said at the Wanderers nets on Wednesday..

“But then I got out at a crucial time, which could’ve cost us the game, and as batsmen we need to maintain our discipline as much as possible. But thanks to Symes we managed to get there in the end.”

“It was a bit different batting with a world-class batsman like Chris, he didn’t say much, just ‘keep batting mon’. We chased well though and getting a partnership going is the key. I just wanted to get him on strike and watch from the other end as he unleashed the fury,” Symes said.

The pair came together in the fourth over with the home side struggling on 36 for three, with Gayle belting 56 off 38 balls to set up victory, but it was Symes who took the Lions home with a beautifully-paced 58 not out off 50 balls.

“It’s nice to come in earlier and have more time to construct an innings, it’s not that easy just coming in and swinging. I’m not really that sort of player, I like more time. For me cricket is about playing decent shots and getting rewarded for them,” Symes said.

The Lions, who have made a strong start to the season with just three defeats in nine matches, next play the Chevrolet Warriors on Friday, with the struggling Eastern Cape side suffering a 74-run thrashing at the hands of the Knights at the Wanderers.

But before writing off the Warriors’ chances, it’s important to note that the match will be played in East London, where conditions are far removed from what the Lions are used to up on the Highveld.

“The type of decks you get on the coast, especially in East London or Port Elizabeth, suit the Warriors better, they know the right lengths and areas to bowl on those pitches,” Symes pointed out.

The fans at Buffalo Park will no doubt be looking forward to the match as they get the chance to experience the magic and charm of Chris Gayle first-hand.

The laid-back Jamaican knows his job is not only to win matches for the Lions, who have been very welcoming, but also to entertain.

“They are like family now and I have picked up a few dance moves from them, it’s a very jovial bunch. I was actually fined for my performance after the first game (Gayle also took four wickets) and was the first one to drink a beer in the fines meeting.

“I’m hungry to perform for the franchise, to take the team to the Champions League and make the fans happy. They have given me a fantastic reception. They come to be entertained and I’m very sad when that does not happen. I want to give back to them as much as possible,” Gayle said.

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The Lions were chasing 173 for victory and Gayle belted six fours and two sixes as he scored a belligerent 56 off 38 balls. He and Jean Symes added 89 off 68 balls after the hosts were struggling on 36 for three in the fourth over, steering them to victory with seven balls to spare as Thami Tsolekile (23* off 12) hit a couple of sixes in the penultimate over to clinch the win.

Symes compiled a beautifully-paced 58 not out off 50 balls, with four fours and two sixes, and played the perfect foil to Gayle, who showed what a big drawcard he is going to be over the next month.

The West Indian left-hander took a while to get going, but was just beginning to break free, having completed his half-century off 35 balls, when Prenelan Subrayen bowled him in the 14th over.

The Lions still needed 48 off the last six overs, but the Dolphins were unable to restrict Symes and Tsolekile, who completed a comfortable victory over the defending champions.

The Dolphins had to break free from their own poor start after winning the toss and electing to bat first, Cameron Delport falling first ball to Lonwabo Tsotsobe, who seems to be well and truly over his long-term injury niggles, and Morne van Wyk (5) being trapped lbw by Hardus Viljoen’s first delivery.

The Dolphins were 27 for two in the fourth over and desperately needed the stand of 71 off 45 balls between Cody Chetty and Vaughn van Jaarsveld.

Van Jaarsveld stood up from a painful blow amidships from Chris Morris to slap the fast bowler for four and six in the seventh over as the Dolphins passed 50, and Chetty completed a 32-ball half-century with five fours and three sixes.

But the introduction of Gayle with his flat and crafty off-spin derailed the Dolphins progress.

The tall 35-year-old claimed wickets in each of his four overs: Van Jaarsveld (40 off 25) mistimed a lofted straight drive to long-on, Jonathan Vandiar (8) and Khaya Zondo (5) both walked across their stumps and missed sweeps to be given out lbw, and Chetty top-edged a sweep to long-on to fall for a classy 68 off 44 balls.

That allowed fast bowlers Viljoen and Morris to gain access to the lower-order and they wrapped up the innings in style as the Dolphins scored 37 for four in the last four overs.

Viljoen returned in the penultimate over to remove the dangerous Subrayen for 26 off 13 balls and Morris claimed two wickets in the final over to leave the Dolphins short of a winning target on 172 for nine.

Gayle finished with four for 36 to claim the bowler of the match award, but Viljoen returned the best figures of two for 14 in three overs, while wrist-spinner Eddie Leie also managed to frustrate the Dolphins in tandem with Gayle.

With both openers blazing 72 off 48 balls, the Titans required just 56 runs from the last five overs with nine wickets in hand. But with Kieron Pollard and Mthokozisi Shezi mixing up their pace superbly, the Cobras reached the last two overs with 34 runs to defend.

Dane Paterson and Lizaad Williams both produced excellent closing overs and the Titans finished on a disappointing 193 for four, scoring just 41 runs and losing three wickets in the last five overs.

The Cobras’ total of 207 for five, after being sent in to bat, was inspired by two superb innings by Richard Levi and Pollard.

Levi was in sublime touch and ruthless mood as he opened the batting and hammered 81 off just 34 balls. In the fifth over, bowled by JP de Villiers, Levi hit four successive fours and then completed the over with consecutive sixes, taking 28 runs in all off the unfortunate seamer and raising his half-century off just 22 balls.

Twenty-one runs came off left-arm paceman Rowan Richards in the sixth over, Levi hitting the last four balls for six, four, four and six, and the Titans were in dire straits when Davids wisely turned to spin.

Roelof van der Merwe bowled two overs for 11 runs but it was fellow orthodox left-armer Dean Elgar who made the crucial breakthrough, claiming a steepling return catch from Levi.

Further breakthroughs would come for the Titans as Omphile Ramela (12) was well-caught by Van der Merwe running from midwicket off Elgar, who then bowled Justin Ontong first ball as the Cobras captain unwisely tried to reverse-sweep a quicker, flatter delivery.

Elgar finished with outstanding figures of three for 20 off four overs and could well find himself getting more regular employment as a bowler by the Titans.

It was overseas pro Pollard who earned his keep in the final overs, slamming 72 not out off just 36 balls, with six fours and four sixes, the last five overs proving fertile for the Cobras as 64 runs were scored.

Dane Vilas used some cute deflections to score 19 and help Pollard add 65 for the fifth wicket off 44 deliveries.

The Titans’ run-chase began sedately, but steadily picking up speed and although there was none of the frenetic bashing of Levi, Davids and Elgar kept up the required rate. In fact, the crowd was most animated when a teenager in the eastern stand claimed a one-handed catch off an Elgar six to seemingly qualify for the R1 million cash pool. He was subsequently disqualified, however, because he was under 18 and there are bound to be numerous opinions aired over RamSlam’s lengthy and stringent criteria for the prize. Suffice to say that they don’t seem to want to encourage children to come to the games, which is bizarre behaviour for a sponsor.

Davids and Elgar raised 50 in the sixth over and their century stand was up in the 10^th over, as the left-hander went to a 31-ball half-century, with two fours and four sixes.

Davids hit six fours and a six as he reached his fifty off just 28 deliveries and everything seemed to be going wrong for the Cobras when Ontong had Davids caught in the deep on 63, but had over-stepped.

It was Pollard who bowled the Cobras back into the game when he had Elgar caught by Ontong running in from long-on in the 15^th over and then removed Davids as well in the 17^th over, a slower bouncer coming off the glove and being caught behind.

That brought Darren Sammy in to face his West Indian team-mate but the overseas pro lasted just two balls before he also fell to the slower-ball bouncer, paddling it to short fine-leg, where Shezi dived to take the catch.

Pollard finished with a top-class three for 22 in his four overs and with Shezi bowling a fine over in between, the Titans had suddenly lost all momentum.

Mangaliso Mosehle launched a massive six out of the ground, but a degree of panic had set in and Theunis de Bruyn (13) skied a catch into the covers for George Linde to calmly take off Paterson.

A brilliant opening stand fizzled out into a lame finish for the Titans.

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