Cobras remain top with 10-wicket win
by Brendon Atwell 22 December 2012, 17:08
The Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras secured a 10-wicket victory over the Nashua Titans late on day three of their Sunfoil Series match at Sahara Park Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.
Full Scorecard – Cape Cobras v Titans
Andrew Puttick and Alistair Gray knocked off the 18 runs needed, reaching 21 without loss, after the Titans had been dismissed for 301 in their second innings.
The Titans had resumed after tea on 247 for six, but two quick wickets put the skids on the visitors.
Jacques Rudolph was only able to add four runs to his total before he edged a ball from Johann Louw to Dane Vilas behind the stumps, for 77. Rudolph spent 225 minutes at the crease while striking eight boundaries and a six.
Rudolph's wicket gave Louw his fifth of the innings, and the 15th five-wicket haul of his career.
Roelof van der Merwe (5) followed in the next over, when he went on the hook against Beuran Hendricks, only managing to top edge the ball, Vilas taking the catch.
Shaun von Berg and CJ de Villiers added 32 runs for the ninth wicket to steer the visitors past the deficit. Von Berg smashed Louw for 14 runs in the first over of the new ball, to give the visitors a lead of one run.
Von Berg was eventually out for 23 off 28 balls, when he mistimed a shot, only to be caught by Yaseen Vallie, running backwards at point.
De Villiers and Rowan Richards stretched the lead a little further before De Villiers was caught off a delivery from Hendricks. The Titans were bowled out for 301 in their second innings, a lead of just 17.
Resuming the third day on 15 for two, the Titan lost the wicket of Pieter Malan (31) in the morning session. Rudolph and Heino Kuhn went into lunch on 131 without any further damage.
Kuhn was dismissed after lunch for 84, which ended an 88-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Rudolph.
Mangaliso Moshele (29) added 58 runs for the fifth wicket with Rudolph before falling to Louw. Wiese scored 17 before becoming Hendricks' second victim.
Van der Merwe and Rudolph then guided the Titans to tea on 247 for six.
The Titans lost the toss and were bowled out for 192 in their first innings on Friday. Van der Merwe top scored for the visitors with 61, and shared a 117-run sixth-wicket partnership with David Wiese (58).
Justin Kemp took five wickets for 45 runs, while Louw claimed 3-48. Vernon Philander got the wicket of Pieter Malan, and then left the field with a hamstring strain.
The Cobras then posted 476 for eight, with Puttick scoring 126. Stiaan van Zyl (91), Gray (84) and Qaasim Adams (66) all posted half centuries.
Von Berg was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3-115 while De Villiers supported the spinner with 2-85.
The Cobras earned 18.98 points while the Titans received only 2.84, which keeps them rooted to the bottom of the Sunfoil Series table.
Report Day 1
Report Day 2
Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras: Andrew Puttick, Alistair Gray, Stiaan van Zyl, Yaseen Vallie, Qaasim Adams, Dane Vilas (capt, w/k), Justin Kemp, Vernon Philander, Johan Louw, Dane Piedt, Beuran Hendricks.
Nashua Titans: Heino Kuhn (capt, w/k), Tumelo Bodibe, Rowan Richards, David Wiese, Jacques Rudolph, Shaun von Berg, Roelof van der Merwe, CJ de Villiers, Mangaliso Mosehle, Pieter Malan, Tumi Masekela
