Titans down Cobras in Sunday opener

Two wickets in one over from Lizaad Williams helped scupper any chance of a Six Gun Grill Cape Cobras victory as the Multiply Titans secured a 16-run victory in their Betway T20 Challenge match at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead in Durban on Sunday.

George Linde had given the Cobras a sniff with his 21-ball 37, which included four sixes off Tabraiz Shamsi (4-0-46-1) but Williams’ (4-0-25-2) final over put the nail in the Cobras coffin when he clean-bowled Linde with a peach of a delivery which sent Linde’s middle stump flying and then had Calvin Savage (2) caught by Dean Elgar in the deep two balls later.

The Cobras eventually succumbed to 132 all out in pursuit of the Titans’ 148 for six after Heinrich Klaasen had won the toss and decided that his team should have first crack at the crease.

After having conceded 25 extras in their first match, the Cobras returned a much better and disciplined performance with the ball and did extremely well to restrict the star-studded Titans line-up. But as good as they were with the ball, they were poor with the bat.

The men from Cape Town struck just two fours in the power play, finishing the first six overs on 24 for two after Lungi Ngidi (4-0-18-3) had Zubayr Hamza caught on the square leg fence by Junior Dala for just five. Kyle Verreynne was then needlessly run out for just two, with Dala again the man in action, throwing from the deep.

Tony de Zorzi (23) and Christiaan Jonker struggled to clear the rope with the Cobras captain and Jonker striking just two fours each. Jason Smith (20) kept the score board ticking as he and Linde put together the highest stand for the Cobras, managing 33 runs for the fifth wicket but off 34 balls.

Once Smith departed, caught by Dayyaan Galiem off Ngidi, Linde took the attack to Shamsi, striking the Proteas spinner for 23 runs in his final over. But Williams’ double-strike in his final over ended any hope the Capetonians had for victory.

Ngidi and Chris Morris (4-0-21-2) then wrapped up the Cobras tail to hand the Titans their second victory in as many matches and leaving the men from Cape Town without a win.

Earlier, Sibonelo Makhanya top-scored for the men in light blue, striking three boundaries and three maximums from just 33 balls before being bowled by Calvin Savage (3-0-36-1) for 47. Makhanya received good support from Dean Elgar with the left-handed Proteas opener striking two fours and a six in his 31, which came off 26 balls.

Siyabonga Mahina (4-0-34-1), who claimed a hattrick in the Cobras’ first match, claimed the early wicket of Aiden Markram (10) before Theunis de Bruyn (12) played on from offspinner Imaran Manack (3-0-16-1).

Linde (4-0-23-2) then combined with Onke Nyaku to dismiss Elgar and then the prized wicket of Klaasen (7). Corbin Bosch (4-0-23-1) then bowled the perfect penultimate over when he conceded just five runs and grabbed the multi-million dollar wicket of Morris (6).

Galiem (19 not out) and Dala (8 not out) struck a few boundaries off Mahina in the final over to get them close to the 150-run mark.

SIX GUN GRILL CAPE COBRAS: Tony de Zorzi (capt), Zubayr Hamza, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Jason Smith, Christiaan Jonker, George Linde, Onke Nyaku, Calvin Savage, Corbin Bosch, Imran Manack, Siyabonga Mahima

MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Theunis de Bruyn, Sibonelo Makhanya, Heinrich Klaasen (capt & wk), Dayyaan Galiem, Chris Morris, Junior Dala, Lizaad Williams, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi