Spurred by a partnership of 68 between Justin Ontong and Werner Coetsee, the Highveld Lions snatched a two-wicket victory over the Cape Cobras in their Standard Bank Pro20 match at the Wanderers on Friday night.
The Cobras won the toss and batted first, putting on 181 runs, with Bacher dominant on his old home ground. JP Duminy went early, caught by Neil McKenzie off Tyron Henderson without scoring. Bacher and Henry Davids put on 57 for the second wicket before Davids was bowled by Eugene Moleon for 34.
Although the Cobras started off at a very brisk pace, the scoring rate dropped off in the middle overs. Werner Coetsee proving particularly economical, with only 10 runs coming off his first three overs.
Gerry de Bruin took three wickets for 25 runs, while Henderson, Moleon and Justin Ontong claimed a wicket each.
Bacher was finally out in the 18th over, caught by Moleon off De Bruin for 85 — his highest score in 20-over cricket. The Cobras finished their 20 overs on 181 for six.
Chasing 182 to win, the Lions lost wickets early, with Charl Willoughby taking three wickets for 26 runs. The home side appeared to fall behind the required run rate as wickets tumbled, but the crowd of nearly 12 000 took heart from a seventh-wicket partnership of 68 off 39 deliveries between Ontong and Coetsee.
Coetsee was stumped by Wesley Euley off Bacher for 33, with the score on 160 and two overs remaining. Rory Kleinveldt conceded 10 off the 19th over, leaving the Lions to make 12 off the last six balls.
Cobras captain Alan Dawson bowled the final over, and the crowd erupted with excitement when the first ball went for four. The second went for one, the third for four and the fourth for two.
With the scores tied, and one ball to go, Dawson bowled Ontong for 43. Friedel de Wet came to the wicket to face the last ball, but Dawson bowled a wide, and De Wet scrambled a run to give the Lions victory by two wickets with a ball in hand. — Sapa