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Cape Town - NASHUA Cape Cobras coach Paul Adams paid
tribute to the consistency of performance throughout his side after a 33-run
victory over the Chevrolet Knights saw the Cobras crowned RAM SLAM T20
champions.
Having added that trophy to the Newlands
cabinet, Adams has now won titles in all three formats since taking the reins
at the start of the 2012/13 season.
Every Cobras player could point to some
contribution to Friday night’s victory in front of a crowd of 13,559, whether
it was a handy knock, a cheap spell with the ball or a string of good catches
in the field.
“That’s the thing with finals - I think
sometimes it takes a team collective, where you need to fall back on your team
structure in pressure moments,” Adams said.
“But I thought there were also some
brilliant individual performances that created the spark - Omphile Ramela came
in and played a superb knock that just sparked our innings and got it going,
and then Kieron (Pollard)’s experience towards the back end was also crucial.”
Pollard scored an unbeaten 43 from 23 balls
and then took 3 for 21 in his four overs to cap a brilliant stint with the
Cobras, during which he has been one of the standout performers in the
competition.
He finished with 243 runs from his 11
matches at an average of 81, and 14 wickets at an average of 15 and an economy
rate of just 6.8.
“The pro’s contribution was massive for
us,” said Adams. “We always look at good Twenty20 players as impact players,
and I think Richard Levi and Kieron Pollard’s impact has been huge.
“Kieron wins games from anywhere, and he’ll
contribute with the bat, the ball and in the field. Hopefully he can keep
making Cape Town his second home. Or perhaps his third or fourth.”
While the final scoreline in the final
suggested a straightforward victory for the Cobras, in truth the Knights were
right in the match going into the final five overs, when they needed 60 runs
with seven wickets in hand.
However, Dane Paterson struck twice in two
balls before Pollard picked up three wickets in the next over to put the game
to bed.
“I thought the game was a lot closer than
it actually looked in the end,” Cobras captain Justin Ontong said.
“We needed to take crucial wickets and hang
on to crucial catches at the right times, and fortunately we managed to do
that.”
