It is a measure of Richard Levi’s importance to the Cape Cobras’ Twenty20 challenge that he could feature in Friday’s match against the Lions only a few days after helping the Proteas to a T20 international series win over New Zealand.
The powerful opener, who blasted himself into the record books with the fastest T20 international century last weekend, has been included in the Cobras squad to face the Lions at the Wanderers on Friday night, as well as Sunday afternoon’s encounter against the Dolphins in Paarl.
Levi landed in Johannesburg on Thursday afternoon after a marathon flight from Auckland. But the former Wynberg Boys’ High prodigy didn’t fly to Cape Town, instead waiting for his teammates to arrive in Johannesburg for the Lions match.
A call will be made on the blonde basher’s availability, because of jetlag. At the end of the day, it seems Levi might be asked to make the final call, that is if he can stay awake to make any call …
It’s going to be hard for coach Richard Pybus, though, to decide who is going to miss out if Levi comes straight back into the starting side.
The Cape side’s top-order have been in superb form. On Wednesday night, during their 40-run victory over the Impi in Paarl, they scored a mammoth 211/5, with openers Andrew Puttick and Stiaan van Zyl, middle-order basher Dane Vilas and all-rounder Vernon Philander smashing the bowlers to all parts of Boland Park.
So it seems like one of Alistair Gray or Yaseen Vallie is going to miss out at the Bullring. Both players haven’t had a chance to bat as yet, and have been primarily used as slow-bowling options.
The Cobras’ bowling unit, however, did face a few nervous moments against the Impi.
And they will come up against a much-tougher batting line-up in the Lions, on what is expected to be another belter of a track at the Wanderers.
The Cape side’s seamers struggled with their lengths against the Impi, and they managed to let a chance to get a crucial bonus point slip through their fingers when it seemed like they took their foot off the pedal towards the end of the match.
Meanwhile, STUART HESS reports that the Lions will want maximum impact from their most experienced opener Alviro Petersen before he heads to New Zealand next week for the Test series. Friday night may also see the first outing for one of the Lions’ overseas signings Dirk Nannes.
The Australian has been hampered by a slight back-strain which sidelined him for the first two matches of the competition. The prospect of Nannes mixing it with Levi is just one of a number of intriguing battles between two of the three unbeaten teams in the competition.
In fact, Friday’s match will provide the Lions with an effective gauge as to their progress in this format.
Their two victories have come against the bottom sides in the tournament, and while they were clinical in their eight-wicket triumph over the Warriors on Wednesday, the Cobras will present a far greater examination of their form and tactics.
COBRAS SQUAD
Alistair Gray, Andrew Puttick, Beuran Hendricks, Charl Langeveldt, Dane Piedt, Dane Vilas, Johann Louw, Mark Boucher, Yaseen Vallie, Owais Shah, Richard Levi, Rory Kleinveldt, Stiaan van Zyl, Vernon Philander.
WEEKEND’S TWENTY20
CHALLENGE FIXTURES
TODAY: Dolphins v Titans (Durban), Impi v Knights (Benoni), Lions v Cape Cobras (Johannesburg).
SUNDAY: Cape Cobras v Dolphins (Paarl), Knight v Lions (Bloemfontein), Titans v Impi (Centurion).