Robin Peterson and Justin Kemp carried the log-leading Cape Cobras to a four-wicket win, with one ball remaining, in their Momentum One-Day Cup match against the Warriors in Paarl on Sunday.
Elsewhere, rain again affected proceedings in the other two matches, with umpires calling off the game in Pietermaritzburg while the encounter in Benoni was reduced to a 20-over chase by the Lions against the Titans.
In Pietermaritzburg, the Dolphins and Knights shared a no result, while the Titans beat the Lions on the D/L Method.
The Cobras had gone into the final over on 220 for 6, needing nine runs to win, with four wickets remaining, but hopes resting on the veteran Kemp, who had been joined by another stalwart in Peterson.
Rusty Theron bowled the final over, but Kemp took a two and a single off the first two balls, before Peterson did the rest in ones and twos – helped by a fourth ball wide.
The Warriors had won the toss and elected to bat at a steamy Paarl and compiled 228 for 8 off their 50 overs. Main contributors were Darryl Brown (52 off 72 balls) and Sisanda Magala (48 off 64). They had rescued the innings after coming together at 90-6 and took the score to 183 in the 45th over before Brown was caught off Peterson’s bowling.
Theron then weighed in with a breezy unbeaten 30 off 19 balls (three fours, two sixes) as the visitors compiled a total that gave the bowlers something to work on.
The Cobras reply saw them race to 35 before Richard Levi (17 off 18 balls), was first man out. The chase always looked manageable with the competition’s leading run-scorer, Andrew Puttick, again in superb form. He made 86 off 125 balls before being run out, fifth man out, with the score 267 and 10 overs remaining in which to knock off the remaining 62 required for victory.
Sybrand Engelbrecht (27 off 26) and Kemp (28 off 26) always ensured that the run-a-ball from there in was met.
The Dolphins were sent in to bat by the Knights at the City Oval, and were 45 for 5 after 23.2 overs when the game was declared a no result due to the weather.
Vaughan van Jaarsveld had been the only batsman to reach double figures, getting to 22 off 55 balls when he became the fifth wicket to fall on 39. Dillon du Preez had taken 3-8 off six overs, with veteran Quinton Friend claiming 1-6 off his six as well.
Both teams earned two points for the no result.
Veteran Jacques Rudolph compiled a classy 77 at the top of the order to help the Titans to a healthy 255-9 off their 50 overs against the Lions, but then the rain reduced the encounter to a 20-over chase for the visitors.
They were set a winning target of 149 in those 20 overs but could only reach 136 for 8. Alviro Petersen, recently retired from international duties, showed how valuable he remains with 48 off 36 balls, but wickets fell at regular intervals and the Lions never looked like reaching the amended target.
Juan de Villiers (2-20) and Junior Dala (1-19) ensured the brakes were always firmly applied and the Titans got their second win of the weekend to move up to second on the table.
HOW THEY STAND
| P | W | L | NR | Pts | |
| Cobras | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 29 |
| Titans | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 22 |
| Dolphins | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 18 |
| Lions | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 15 |
| Knights | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 15 |
| Warriors | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 8 |
