The Cape Cobras thrashed the defending champions, the Diamond Eagles, by seven wickets, with Henry Davids and Benji Hector hammering the bowling in a record stand, in their Standard Bank Pro20 match in Kimberley on Friday.
Davids and Hector unleashed a feast of free-scoring as their stand of 154 off 96 balls — the biggest in Pro20 history -‒ carried the Cobras to a target of 188 with an over to spare.
They were brought together after the Cobras had slipped to 32 for two in the fourth over.
Davids produced a top-class innings of 93 not out off 52 balls, with nine fours and four sixes.
He lashed Jacques Rudolph for 22 in an over -‒ consecutive sixes sailing straight out of the ground — to settle the outcome in the 16th over.
Hector served as a brilliant ally, taking fewer risks but still scoring exceptionally briskly in a quality innings of 72 off 47 balls.
The Eagles, who were sent in to bat by the Cobras, made a brisk start but also needed some late blazing from Johan van der Wath and Boeta Dippenaar to see them to what seemed a competitive score.
Morne van Wyk dominated a fine opening stand of 104 off 76 balls with his 67 off 45 deliveries, while Rudolph chipped in with 39.
Van Wyk’s innings ended when he holed out to backward point off a wide long-hop from Rory Kleinveldt, but the stand between Van der Wath and Dippenaar in the closing overs was a brisk one of 68 off 40 balls.
Van der Wath hammered three sixes in his 35 off 22 balls, but Dippenaar was even more impressive, finishing on 35 not out off 20 balls.
It was another bad night for bowlers on the notoriously flat De Beers Diamond Oval pitch, but Nicky Boje will be pleased with his bowling, conceding just 26 runs in four overs. – Sapa