Battle between Cobras top-order and Southee could be a highlight on Friday CAPE TOWN. – Tim Southee will know all about the ebb and flow of cricket, the exhilarating highs and the depressing and excruciatingly painful lows. He captured three for 24 in setting up a six-wicket win for the Northern Districts against the famous Mumbai Indians, home of Sachin Tendulkar, in the Champions League Twenty20-qualifier on Tuesday. But when he faces the Nashua Cape Cobras on Friday at the International Stadium in Raipur (starting at 16h30, SA time), he might just open the bowling and send down a few overs to the man who was responsible for one of New Zealand’s biggest drubbings in the recent past. Richard Levi smashed 117 off 51 balls, including five fours and thirteen sixes in February 2012 and South Africa cantered to a six-wicket win with 24 balls to spare in the T20-International match. Southee conceded 40 runs in four overs. He attempted a few short deliveries to Levi, who gave new meaning to the phrase ‘short arm jab’. Yet, the Cobras would know that it takes only one lethal delivery in evening-conditions in which the dew could be a factor, to remove Levi. That’s why Paul Adams, the Cobras coach, emphasized the importance of a solid base and the acceleration in the latter part of the game. The presence of Hashim Amla and Stiaan van Zyl sandwiched in-between Levi, Dane Vilas and Justin Ontong could just provide the Cobras with the balance needed in the line-up. While Levi, Vilas and Ontong could ensure a blistering aerial assault, Amla and Van Zyl are more calculated in their approach. Differently stated, they are the Swiss bankers while Levi, Vilas and Ontong could present the billionaire’s son at the Grand West casino – prepared to take massive risks with splendid returns if it pays off. The Champions League Twenty20 tournament has been full of surprises - unpleasant surprises if you are fan of the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai, two of the global powerhouses of the T20-format. Both teams lost the past week. The Kolkota Knight Riders won by three wickets with six balls to spare thanks to a sensational blitz by Andre Russell, who smashed 58 off 24 balls. All of this means that there is no place to hide in Champions League Twenty20, and no sentiment, even if you are a star-studded side like the Nashua Cape Cobras. Adams has an intimate understanding of this reality. He would want his bowling attack, spearheaded by Vernon Philander and Rory Kleinveldt, to do early damage control and strike repeatedly. And he would require his back-up attack to control the middle. Ultimately, his top-order can secure a solid start so that the middle-order and lower order batsmen can explode into action. But it is very possible that Levi won’t read this script and would want to repeat his heroics of February 2012 at the expense of Southee and Company.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 14:17:56 +0000
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