Cobras slightly depleted for RAM SLAM T20 Challenge season-opener The Nashua Cape Cobras dominated the first half of the Momentum One Day Cup competition by scoring three bonus-point wins, but the departure of their match-winning spinner Robin Peterson and the groin injury suffered by Stiaan van Zyl will leave the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge finalist searching for some answers. The domestic showpiece, The RAM SLAM T20 Challenge, starts on Sunday. The Cobras and The Unlimited Titans will meet at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium, starting at 14h00. Paul Adams, the Nashua Cape Cobras coach, confirmed that Van Zyl might be out for three to four weeks due to a groin injury. He suffered a grade-2 groin tear while fielding on the boundary during Friday’s Momentum One Day Cup match against The Unlimited Titans. Peterson has been called up by the national squad as a replacement for the left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso. Phangiso suffered a sprained finger and will be side-lined for approximately four to six wees. Peterson finished with 11 wickets at an average of 14.81 for the Cobras in their first five Momentum One Day Cup matches. It included match-winning contributions of five for 25 against the Chevrolet Warriors and two for 30 in a high-scoring match against the bizhub Highveld Lions. One of his greatest challenges would be to replace Peterson for the T20-format, although SA Engelbrecht impressed observers with his ability to absorb pressure during the Champions League Twenty20. Justin Ontong is another spinner who can bowl successfully in the middle period. Adams said two training matches on Tuesday (starting at 10h30 and 14h00 at Newlands) have been scheduled in order to fine-tune and execute game plans. Andrew Puttick, who is nursing a quad injury, might not take the field in those training matches. The left-handed opener has scored 394 runs in five Momentum One Day Cup matches. The Cobras would not want to risk him before the opening match of the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge competition against The Unlimited Titans at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. The Cobras featured during the Champions League Twenty20 competition and failed to reach the knockout-phases. Two of their so-called death bowlers, Charl Langeveldt (retired) and Vernon Philander (national team), will not be in action during the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge. Beuran Hendricks is another absentee. He is busy with an extensive rehabilitation program. The left-arm swing bowler captured 28 wickets in the domestic T20-competition last season.
Posted on: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 09:57:20 +0000
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