Quinton de Kock smashed a brilliant 85 from 51 balls to set up a nine-run win for the Titans over the Cape Cobras at Newlands on Friday night.
De Kock set out as if he had a point to prove. He and Henry Davids put on 127 at just over nine runs an over, when De Kock mistimed a drive off Kieron Pollard to be caught at long-off. He had slammed 11 fours and two sixes off 51 balls and set the tone for the innings.
Davids went on to to 51 off 41 balls with one four and three sixes, until he was superbly caught by Pollard off Dane Patterson at long-off. By then, though, the Titans had racked up 150 off 16 overs. Chris Morris (13), Farhaan Behardien (16) and Albie Morkel (3) all chipped in to present the Cobras with a challenging target of 177.
The Cobras, to their credit, made a good fist of the fight, with Richard Levi and Andrew Puttick putting on 65 in eight overs. But when Levi was caught on the boundary for 32 off 22 (3×4, 2×6) off the brilliant new pace prospect Lungi Ngidi, the momentum was halted.
Puttick was run out for 39 off 38, and Omphile Remala followed two overs and nine runs later. Pollard tried his best to up the rate, hammering 44 off 23 balls (3×4, 4×6) and the Cobras were in with a chance at 151-3 after 18 overs. But when Pollard was trapped lbw by Chris Morris the next ball, the race was effectively over.
The Cobras ended on 168-6.
It has been a good trip on the road for the Titans, who crushed the Dolphins by 66 runs on Wednesday. So, after seven matches the Titans are sitting comfortably on top of the log on 25 points, seven ahead of the Dolphins, who had no result against the Warriors. Only five overs were played before rain washed out the evening.
