Zondo’s ton in vain as Cobras romp home
by Fanie Heyns 22 February 2012, 21:39
The Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras recorded an emphatic 40-run victory over the New Age Impi in their MiWay T20 Challenge match at Boland Park in Paarl on Wednesday.
Full Scoring
The Impi's progress in pursuit of the 211 for four scored by the hosts was stifled by the slow bowlers, and they finished with 171 for six.
Khaye Zondo’s career-best undefeated 100, his first ton in T20 cricket, was not enough to catapult the visitors to glory.
But his superb effort deserves a special note, as it came off only 63 balls with nine fours and two sixes.
His dynamic knock was undermined greatly by a middle-order wobble that saw three wickets tumble for eleven runs in nine balls.
This mini-collapse put the Cobras in control and caused havoc in the Impi ranks as they plummeted to 87 for four in the thirteenth over.
Zondo found an ally in Ryan Canning and their rearguard action yielded 44 runs in 3.5 overs as they moved the Impi from 109 for five to 153.
That was before Canning was caught by Mohammed Vallie off Johann Louw for 23 in the penultimate over.
The visitors started brightly enough with Luke Wright and Zondo adding 34 in 5 overs for the first wicket.
Wright was caught and bowled by swing bowler Louw for fifteen.
Zondo and Adrian McLaren added another 30 for the second wicket, but then the spinners put on the brakes to reduce the scoring rate.
On 65 for one after ten overs, the Impi knew they had to score 147 in the final ten overs to achieve Mission Impossible V.
It was not to be. Offspinner Dane Piedt and legspinner Alistair Gray combined to take three wickets in the space of nine deliveries to remove McLaren, Ryan ten Doeschate and Paul Collingwood.
Ten Doeschate was trapped in front by Gray’s straighter one for a single and Collingwood was caught behind off Piedt, also for a single.
The loss of the former England captain was the decisive blow and from 87 for four in the thirteenth over there was no way back for the Impi.
Piedt was the pick of the attack and finished with 2-26 in three overs. Gray captured 1-23 in three overs and Louw boasted figures of 2-22 in three overs.
Earlier, Stiaan van Zyl compiled a stylish 55 off 31 balls to power the Cobras to 102 for 2 after 9.5 overs.
Dane Vilas kept the foot on the accelerator by scoring 57 off 30 balls, including seven fours and a six.
The real tormentors of the bowlers were Vernon Philander and Mark Boucher who finished with a flourish, slamming 63 runs in the last five overs.
Philander hit 45 off 18 deliveries and scored 28 in the 20th over, bowled by fast bowler Craig Alexander. He hit five fours and three sixes.
Boucher contributed 23 off 17 balls.
TEAMS
Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras – Stiaan van Zyl, Andrew Puttick (capt), Owais Shah, Dane Vilas, Alistair Gray, Mark Boucher, Mohammed Vallie, Johann Louw, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Charl Langeveldt.
New Age Impi – Luke Wright, Khayelihle Zondo, Cobus Pienaar, Paul Collingwood (capt), Ryan ten Doeschate, Adrian McLaren, Ryan Canning, Siya Simetu, Craig Alexander, Ben Edmondson, Pumela Matshikwe, Dominic Hendricks.