Cobras to target Petersen
If the Cape Cobras can claim the wicket of Alviro Petersen early, they will be well on their way to winning the One-Day Cup final.
|||If the Cape Cobras can claim the wicket of Alviro Petersen early, they will be well on their way to winning the One-Day Cup final at Newlands on Sunday.
That was the suggestion from Cobras captain Justin Ontong on Friday. The Cobras destroyed the powerful Lions batting line-up in their last encounter in Paarl a few weeks ago, when Beuran Hendricks took two wickets in the third over to reduce the Lions to 5/2.
One of those scalps was Petersen, who was caught behind by Dane Vilas for two, and the visitors never recovered to be bowled out for 133. The Cobras knocked off the runs with four wickets down.
Petersen has been in unbelievable form in the One-Day Cup, with five hundreds to his name this season. He has scored 669 runs, and along with captain Stephen Cook (410), will look to blunt the dangerous Cobras fast-bowling machine. In addition, Proteas Test batsman Temba Bavuma (back) is also in doubt for Sunday’s final.
The Cobras boast a lethal pace attack of Hendricks, Dane Paterson and Wayne Parnell, which is supported by the medium pace of Aviwe Mgijima and off-spinner Dane Piedt.
Intensity, bowling attack might swing it in the Cobras’ favour, says Ontong
— COBRAS CRICKET (@CobrasCricket) February 26, 2016
Intensity, mental focus and a... https://t.co/mQARzo9EAg
“We will target Alviro Petersen and Stephen Cook,” Ontong told the Cobras website on Friday. “We will definitely bank on the same bowling attack, as they have done the damage for us. We will possibly field the same squad, and the only change might be that Richard Levi could replace somebody, but we will probably decide on Saturday.
“I do think there will be something in the wicket for the spinner (Piedt) in the afternoon, and even possibly in the morning with the humidity around.”
Levi is back in the squad after missing the second half of the competition as he was involved in the Masters Champions League in Dubai. But coach Paul Adams will have to make the difficult choice between Levi and Andrew Puttick at the top of the order.
Apart from Bavuma, Lions coach Geoffrey Toyana is also still awaiting a prognosis on leg-spinner Eddie Leie, who is struggling with a hamstring problem. Both players missed the qualifier victory over the Warriors at the Wanderers on Wednesday.
* Sunday’s final at Newlands will start at 10am. Follow @IndyCapeSport on Twitter for live updates throughout the match.
ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za
@IndyCapeSport