SuperSport Series
Cobras close in on title
2010-03-21 15:45
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Alistair Gray (Gallo Images)
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Newlands - The Cape Cobras have one hand on the SuperSport Series championship trophy following their emphatic 10-wicket win over the Dolphins at Newlands on Sunday.
The final day's play started out with the Dolphins on 109/4 (41 overs) after following on in their second innings. They survived until the 85th over when they were all out for 225 runs, which gave them an overall lead of 24 runs.
The Cobras scored 477/8 declared (134.3 overs) in their first innings, after which the Dolphins scored 276 all out (108 overs) in their first innings.
When the Cobras occupied the crease for the second time they blitzed the Dolphins attack, scoring 29/0 off only 11 balls. Alistair Gray led the victory charge with 28 runs off 10 balls, including four fours and two sixes.
The Cobras bagged 16.34 bonus points from the match and now lead the log with 110.78 points, with the second-placed Titans on 79.08 points.
However, the result of Titans-Lions clash which also finishes on Sunday is outstanding and should the Titans fail to clinch an outright victory, the Cobras will be assured of this season's championship title.
Should the Titans secure an outright victory the Cobras will still be handsomely placed at the top of the log but they will have to wait for the outcome of next week's final round of matches before they can be declared champions.
The Cobras have never won the SuperSport Series title since the advent of the franchise system in the 2004-05 season.
Sunday's morning session spanned 35 overs and yielded three wickets as the Dolphins moved their overnight score of 109/4 (41 overs) to 190/7 (76 overs) at lunch, with the visitors still 11 runs in arrears.
Medium paceman Stiaan van Zyl who was called on to bowl for the first time in the match started the rot by breaking through Bradley Moses' (24) defence, 27 overs into the session.
Spinner Robin Peterson hastened the decline by claiming the scalps of Khayo Zondo (1) and Ahmed Amla (68).
After lunch, Jon Kent and Quinton Friend wiped out the arrears which ensured that the Cobras had to bat again.
However medium pacer Vernon Philander intervened with devastating effect when he delivered the final blows with three wickets in as many overs to finish with the excellent figures of 4/33, and with the Dolphins total on 225 - a lead of 24 runs.