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Jacques Kallis (Gallo Images)
Cape Town - Jacques Kallis smashed a excellent half-century to help the Cape Cobras book a place in the 1 Day Cup final after an emphatic eight-wicket victory over the Dolphins at Newlands on Wednesday.
The Proteas all-rounder batted patiently to reach 50, but then cut loose to end unbeaten on 78 from 68 as the hosts chased down the 186 victory target in just 29 overs.
He was given good support from Owais Shah (37 not out), while Graeme Smith (33) and Richard Levi (35) also chipped in to help the Cobras seal top spot after the league phase of the competition and give them home advantage in the December 9 final.
For the Dolphins, Khayelihle Zondo (65) and debutant Cody Chetty (50) were the mainstays, but they lacked any support from their senior men and were all out for 185 in 47.2 overs.
The home side, boosted with most of their top Proteas, lost the toss at the start, but it made little difference as they claimed the first four wickets for just 45.
Loots Bosman (two) was excellently snapped up by Kallis diving low to his left at second slip after a teasing delivery from Rory Kleinveldt (three for 22), who then had Imraan Khan (11) miscuing a drive high and straight to Levi backtracking at mid-off.
David Miller (seven) and Daryn Smith (nought) were both removed by South Africa speedster Dale Steyn (two for 35), the latter misjudging a ball that cut back as he tried to leave only to have his off-stump flattened with the visitors in all sorts of trouble.
Inexperienced Chetty, 20, and 21-year-old Zondo, who survived one dropped catch and another half-chance earlier on, then gave the innings some respectability with an 84-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
They took their side past 100 in the 26th over with Chetty the first to reach his 50 from 67 balls.
He became the fifth Dolphins player to make a half-century on debut, but any hopes of kicking on were then shot down as he was needlessly run out when Zondo dropped and ran into the offside in search for a single to raise his own 50.
Justin Ontong was quick off the mark to throw down the stumps at the strikers end to conclude a mature maiden showing.
Zondo did get to his milestone a few overs later, a very patient 97-ball 50, before Cameron Delport (14) followed.
The Cobras then removed the set batsman Zondo, Charl Langeveldt trapping him leg before wicket, before the tail folded with more than two overs to go.
Smith (33) and Richard Levi (35) gave their team a flying start to the chase and they were never really troubled thereafter.
Levi looked particularly good and he blazed Kyle Abbott away for three successive fours in the fifth over, the last of which was imposingly pulled out towards cow corner.
The Cobras raced past 50 in the eighth over, but lost Levi as he tried to lift Mthokozisi Shezi over deep square leg where Chetty was waiting to end an innings that lasted 25 balls, seven of them being struck for four.
Kallis joined Smith and helped keep the pressure on in a 40 run stand, with Keshav Maharaj eventually affecting a breakthrough after the skipper miscued to Loots Bosman at mid-off.
Shah smashed his first ball for a six as the quick runs continued to come and the Cobras went to 100 in the 16th over.
The Dolphins began to crumble in the field too where Friedel de Wet should have caught the Englishman when he was on 11 - the fast bowler was too slow to a flying ball at mid-off and only ended up getting a hand to the ball.
After passing 150, Kallis struck three sixes in four balls off Maharaj, before smashing a further six and two fours off Shezi in the 29th over to take his side home.
Shah ended on 27 off 39 with the Cobras now set to host either the Chevrolet Warriors or Chevrolet Knights in next week’s final.
Teams:
Cape Cobras: Graeme Smith (captain), Richard Levi, Jacques Kallis, Owais Shah, JP Duminy, Justin Ontong, Mark Boucher (wk), Robin Peterson, Rory Kleinveldt, Dale Steyn, Charl Langeveldt.
Dolphins: Imraan Khan (captain), Loots Bosman, Cody Chetty, Khayelihle Zondo, Daryn Smit (wk), Cameron Delport, David Miller, Friedel de Wet, Kyle Abbott, Keshav Maharaj, Mthokozisi Shezi.
The Proteas all-rounder batted patiently to reach 50, but then cut loose to end unbeaten on 78 from 68 as the hosts chased down the 186 victory target in just 29 overs.
He was given good support from Owais Shah (37 not out), while Graeme Smith (33) and Richard Levi (35) also chipped in to help the Cobras seal top spot after the league phase of the competition and give them home advantage in the December 9 final.
For the Dolphins, Khayelihle Zondo (65) and debutant Cody Chetty (50) were the mainstays, but they lacked any support from their senior men and were all out for 185 in 47.2 overs.
The home side, boosted with most of their top Proteas, lost the toss at the start, but it made little difference as they claimed the first four wickets for just 45.
Loots Bosman (two) was excellently snapped up by Kallis diving low to his left at second slip after a teasing delivery from Rory Kleinveldt (three for 22), who then had Imraan Khan (11) miscuing a drive high and straight to Levi backtracking at mid-off.
David Miller (seven) and Daryn Smith (nought) were both removed by South Africa speedster Dale Steyn (two for 35), the latter misjudging a ball that cut back as he tried to leave only to have his off-stump flattened with the visitors in all sorts of trouble.
Inexperienced Chetty, 20, and 21-year-old Zondo, who survived one dropped catch and another half-chance earlier on, then gave the innings some respectability with an 84-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
They took their side past 100 in the 26th over with Chetty the first to reach his 50 from 67 balls.
He became the fifth Dolphins player to make a half-century on debut, but any hopes of kicking on were then shot down as he was needlessly run out when Zondo dropped and ran into the offside in search for a single to raise his own 50.
Justin Ontong was quick off the mark to throw down the stumps at the strikers end to conclude a mature maiden showing.
Zondo did get to his milestone a few overs later, a very patient 97-ball 50, before Cameron Delport (14) followed.
The Cobras then removed the set batsman Zondo, Charl Langeveldt trapping him leg before wicket, before the tail folded with more than two overs to go.
Smith (33) and Richard Levi (35) gave their team a flying start to the chase and they were never really troubled thereafter.
Levi looked particularly good and he blazed Kyle Abbott away for three successive fours in the fifth over, the last of which was imposingly pulled out towards cow corner.
The Cobras raced past 50 in the eighth over, but lost Levi as he tried to lift Mthokozisi Shezi over deep square leg where Chetty was waiting to end an innings that lasted 25 balls, seven of them being struck for four.
Kallis joined Smith and helped keep the pressure on in a 40 run stand, with Keshav Maharaj eventually affecting a breakthrough after the skipper miscued to Loots Bosman at mid-off.
Shah smashed his first ball for a six as the quick runs continued to come and the Cobras went to 100 in the 16th over.
The Dolphins began to crumble in the field too where Friedel de Wet should have caught the Englishman when he was on 11 - the fast bowler was too slow to a flying ball at mid-off and only ended up getting a hand to the ball.
After passing 150, Kallis struck three sixes in four balls off Maharaj, before smashing a further six and two fours off Shezi in the 29th over to take his side home.
Shah ended on 27 off 39 with the Cobras now set to host either the Chevrolet Warriors or Chevrolet Knights in next week’s final.
Teams:
Cape Cobras: Graeme Smith (captain), Richard Levi, Jacques Kallis, Owais Shah, JP Duminy, Justin Ontong, Mark Boucher (wk), Robin Peterson, Rory Kleinveldt, Dale Steyn, Charl Langeveldt.
Dolphins: Imraan Khan (captain), Loots Bosman, Cody Chetty, Khayelihle Zondo, Daryn Smit (wk), Cameron Delport, David Miller, Friedel de Wet, Kyle Abbott, Keshav Maharaj, Mthokozisi Shezi.
