SuperSport Series
Morkel guides Titans to victory
2012-01-28 18:08
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Boland - Albie Morkel scored a priceless half-century to guide the
Nashua Titans to a two-wicket victory over the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras at
Boland Park on Saturday and to top place on the SuperSport Series log.
In the process Morkel scored his 4 000
th
first-class run and was named SuperSport Series Player of the Match.
The Titans, set a victory target of 158, had looked down and
out at 61/6 but Morkel found runs scoring a lot easier than anyone else,
finishing unbeaten on 54 off 86 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes. Along the way
he found useful partners in Tumelo Bodibe who helped add 53 for the seventh
wicket and then CJ de Villiers who shared an unbroken stand of 38 for the ninth
wicket.
Johann Louw (3/18) was the pick of the Cobras’ attack.
The Titans lead the Cobras by the narrowest of margins and there
is still everything to play for in the last two rounds.
The Titans appear to have the easier run-in with an away
fixture against the Chevrolet Warriors followed by a home game against the
Sunfoil Dolphins while the Cobras face two of their title challengers – at home
against the Chevrolet Knights and away to the bizhub Highveld Lions.
The Chevrolet Knights and the bizhub Highveld Lions, the
other two teams in with a shout of winning the four-day title, were frustrated by
the weather and the Knights will have to balance their declaration correctly on
Sunday.
At the close of the third day they had reached 146/2 for an
overall lead of 208 runs.
Both Reeza Hendricks and Boeta Dippenaar are well set and
they will be looking for quick runs when play resumes.
The Sunfoil Dolphins are well placed for their first victory
of the season after setting the Chevrolet Warriors a target of 386 runs and
reducing them to 30/3 by the close.
This match saw a welcome return to form by two Proteas in
the Dolphins’ second innings with David Miller making an unbeaten 71 (97 balls,
9 fours and a six) and Wayne Parnell taking 3/43.
Simon Harmer picked up a further three wickets in the
Dolphins’ second innings to give him nine wickets in the match and 39 so far
this season.
With the Warriors requiring a further 356 runs for victory
and losing the key wicket of Ashwell Prince, the Dolphins will fancy their
chances of a maiden victory.