Volts run out of electricity; Cobras strike

Bangalore, Oct 11 : The two teams - Cape Cobras and Otago Volts - had very contrasting journeys leading into this CLT20 match.

While the Cape Cobras came in bolstered by their scintillating last over win against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the tournament opener, the Otago Volts had lost both their warm up games leading up to the tournament. Cricket lovers thus had a fair idea of the form quotient of the two teams.

The Cobras only lived up to their superior reputation with a commanding 54 -run win over their Kiwi rivals today, said an official release.

Chasing a victory target of 194 against the spirited Cobras was never going to be easy. Moreover, all that the Cobras' skipper needed was to keep things under control, and he did way moire than just that scoring a remarkable ton.

The Volts' openers started off on an aggressive note with both openers, Brendon McCullum and Aaron Redmond, hitting the Cobras' bowlers to every corner of the field. However, Redmond's departure in the fourth over, followed by McCullum's run out soon after dealt them crucial blows. The precocious Hamish Rudherford, though, continued the assault unabated. He had very little option either considering the ever mounting asking rate. Flashing outside the off stump, Rutherford perished in the seventh over leaving the Otago Volts floundering at 54/3. Neil Broom's hasty run out soon after only dimmed the Volts' hopes further. Yet another run out followed in the form of Volts skipper Craig Cumming.

Nathan McCullum's late flourish which included three boundaries off one over from Justin Ontong could do little to alter the destiny of his team. And when he was out in the 14th over, caught at short fine leg, the match was all but over. The Volts only followed up their lackadaisical bowling with some reckless batting and running between the wickets. They were bundled out for a meagre 139 runs in the 18th over.

Earlier, Cape Cobras' skipper, Andrew Puttick was at his ruthless best today. He cut, smacked, drove, pulled and improvised some peculiar shots to hit a belligerent unbeaten 104 off just 62 balls. His marathon helped his side set the Volts a daunting target of 194.

Put in to bat by the Otago Volts skipper, Craig Cumming, Puttick launched into an offensive from the word go. Herschelle Gibbs, though was unlucky once again. Trying to swat a ball that had good bounce in it, Gibbs edged it to the keeper. The attacking Henry Davids perished soon after, caught at mid off, trying to hit the ball over the top. At the end of their Powerplay overs, the Cobras were 39 for 2.

The Cobras had problems at the start of their innings even in their previous encounter. The saviour then was Jean Paul Duminy, who had single-handedly turned the match around. Thus, when Duminy came in to bat today, he had the entire stadium expecting him to recreate his magic. Duminy, for his part, only seemed to oblige, smashing huge sixes off both Dimitri Mascarenhas and Nathan McCullum. The advantage that Duminy enjoyed today was that his skipper was equally ruthless, at times moving across the crease to improvise shots down the leg side. Leading from the front, Puttick completed his fifty off just 37 balls.

McCullum can be a wily bowler in Indian conditions. However, his variations today were rendered ineffective as both Puttick and Duminy made suitable adjustments to maul him all across the field. McCullum was particularly expensive today, allowing batsmen to come forward or pull with equal ease.

The 39 runs given away were crucial. The Cobras were 126/2 at the end of the 15th over.

While Puttick greeted Ian Butler's second spell with a first ball six, Duminy departed in the same over attempting something similar. Rory Kleinveldt was in a great hurry from the first ball on and departed in no time. On the other hand Justin Ontong provided good support to his skipper, whacking four massive sixes. He singled out the Volts' pacer Warren McSkimming for special treatment.

A target of 194 was always going to be difficult for the Volts batsmen. The Cobras, though, would not have expected it to be such a cakewalk.