Paarl - Justin Ontong and JP Duminy shared a match-winning 128-run fifth-wicket partnership to steer the Cape Cobras to a comfortable five-wicket victory over the Knights in the 1-Day Cup at Boland Park on Wednesday evening. The victory maintained the Cobras’ unbeaten record and their top position on the log.
Ontong played beautifully throughout, playing with ease on both sides of the wicket, and had the Knights' attack at his mercy throughout his 86 runs.
Duminy, meanwhile, showed his international class during his unbeaten 52 and continued the early work done by Richard Levi.
Levi set the Cobras’ run-chase in motion with a blistering 83 runs, which included five sixes and five fours. He required just 59 balls, and kept the home side in the hunt, despite the early loss of Andrew Puttick, Dane Vilas and Owais Shah. Levi was particularly harsh on his former Wynberg Boys’ teammate Shadley van Schalkwyk, smashing the medium-pace bowler for two sixes and a four in one over.
It had all seemed different at the innings break, when the Knights set the Cobras a challenging total.
Opener Reeza Hendricks (116 not out; 7x4, 2x6) and Dean Elgar (94; 11x4) shared a record partnership for the visitors in one-day cricket. The pair added 173, eclipsing the previous mark of 151 set by Boeta Dippenaar and Davy Jacobs (2004-05) and Dippenaar and Rilee Rossouw (2008-09).
It was a partnership that belied their relative youth. Hendricks (22) and Elgar (24) controlled the tempo of the innings through excellent running between the wickets and good cricket shots. There was no haste to push the run-rate along when the score was just 30/2 after the first powerplay.
Instead, they gauged the pace of the wicket, before accelerating as the innings progressed.
Both batsmen were, though, afforded lives in a sloppy Cobras fielding display. Hendricks was dropped on one, an outside edge that flew to Justin Kemp at second slip, only for the ball to squeeze through the Cobras captain’s hands at second slip. Charl Langeveldt was the unfortunate bowler. Elgar, meanwhile, offered JP Duminy a caught-and-bowled chance on 43, only for the Proteas star to spill it while diving to his right. Both let-offs cost the Cobras dearly.
Obus Pienaar ensured the hard graft done ahead of him was not in vain, as he ushered Hendricks to his maiden limited-overs century, and at the same time provided the late innings impetus the Knights were hoping for. His 25-ball 28 and Ryan Bailey’s undefeated 16 from just nine balls ensured the visitors posted a competitive total.
It was a tough day for the bowlers, with Robin Peterson, who opened the bowling with his left-arm spin for the Cobras, the most economical with figures of 1/41. Dillion du Preez was the best for the Knights, with 2/33, while Johan van der Wath also claimed two wickets. - Sapa