Beuran Hendricks is on a roll: for the second Momentum One-Day match in a row he led the Cape Cobras to a convincing victory, this time against the Highveld Lions at Paarl.
The left-arm paceman, who has only recently returned to full fitness, took 5-31 to help beat the Titans on Friday night and on Sunday claimed 3-18 off eight overs as the Lions were reduced to a humiliating 133 in 40 overs.
With this bonus-point win, the Cape Cobras have all but sealed their place at the top of the log. They now have 29 points; 10 ahead of the Lions. Mathematically, the Lions could still do it, but on this showing, they won’t and the Cobras will be in the final.
Lions captain Stephen Cook said afterwards his side had been surprised by the extra bounce from the usually placid Paarl pitch, which saw them reduced to 7-3 off four overs and 24-4 off 10, with Hendricks taking out Rassie van der Dussen (2) and Alviro Petersen (2) in the third over.
Wayne Parnell and Dane Paterson also contributed to that mayhem before Dominic Hendricks, who would end unbeaten on 44, and Nicky van den Bergh (15) tried to stop the rot with a stand of 31.
Dane Piedt then got into the act, taking two quick wickets as the Lions slid to a woefully inadequate target.
Faced with a run rate of just over 2.5, Andrew Puttick played the perfect anchoring role, serenely accumulating 63 off 86 balls, with just four fours. Stiaan van Zyl meandered to 35 off 63 balls as the next-best.
It took 33 overs to reach the target, for the Cobras saw no need to over-exert themselves.
