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Cobras confidence boosted

Cape Town - The Cape Cobras will go into their SuperSport Series match against the Diamond Eagles at Newlands on Thursday with their confidence boosted after an impressive win against the Warriors in Paarl.

The Cobras have reached the halfway stage of their four-day campaign and are handily placed just 14.04 points behind the leaders, the Titans.

The Cape side are in fourth place on the log, but have a game in hand over the two teams immediately above them, the Warriors and the Dolphins, who both have byes this weekend.

Coach Shukri Conrad described his side's nine-wicket win over the Warriors as satisfying, although he admitted it "wasn't pretty" on a pitch with low bounce.

"We bowled better than they did and showed more application," he said.

The performance of the bowlers is particularly satisfying for Conrad.

"It would be fair to say that earlier in the season our bowling wasn't where we wanted it to be. But we have picked up full bowling points in our last two matches."

Conrad said the turnaround in the bowling was as a result of uncomplicated tactics. "We have stuck to simple game plans and it is working. We have a clearer idea of what needs to be done."

One of the form players is all-rounder Vernon Philander, who was dropped to the amateur side earlier in the season. Philander had match figures of seven for 50 in Paarl and has climbed to second on the SuperSport bowling averages with 15 wickets at 17.40.

Going into the match against the Eagles, the Cape Cobras have options in the bowling department.

Rory Kleinveldt, another player in good form, has a slight niggle but is likely to play, while Monde Zondeki will come into consideration after being left out for Francois Plaatjies for the Paarl match in what Conrad described as a "horses for courses" selection.

Captain Justin Kemp will be back to lead the side after being unavailable last weekend. Kemp has only played in two SuperSport matches and has only had the opportunity to bat in one because he did not get to the crease in the rain-ruined match against the Dolphins in Durban.

"It will be good to have Kempy back," said Conrad. "He has an important role to fill as number six batsman and as a fourth seamer and he has good leadership qualities. He demands a lot from the players.

Justin Ontong is unavailable following a family bereavement and Stellenbosch University student Omphile Ramela is set to get another chance on the ground where he made an impressive 87 on his SuperSport debut against the Highveld Lions last month.

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