Bosman flays sorry Zimbabwe

Eagles 181 for 3 (Bosman 94) beat Zimbabwe 85 for 9 by 98 runs
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A lethal Loots Bosman condemned Zimbabwe to an awful 98-run defeat at the hands of the Eagles in their Standard Bank Pro20 match in Bloemfontein.

Zimbabwe's bowlers took some quite sickening punishment as Bosman plundered 94 off just 50 balls to take the Eagles to 181 for 3 after 17 overs in a rain-interrupted innings. He started sedately, scoring three singles off his first 12 balls, but then exploded into action, hitting six fours and a six off his next 10 balls. Busy innings by Morne van Wyk (21 off 21), Dean Elgar (24 not out off 15) and Ryan McLaren (27 off 17 balls) were the sideshows because the limelight was where it belonged, firmly on Bosman. He reached his half-century in 31 deliveries and struck seven fours and six sixes in all and it was a major surprise when left-arm spinner Keith Dabengwa eventually dismissed him in the 13th over. Bosman's onslaught ensured that four of the six Zimbabwe bowlers would go for more than 10 runs an over.

Zimbabwe's target was adjusted to 184 because the home side's innings was interrupted after 9.5 overs, and the Eagles struck a massive early blow in the Zimbabwe innings when former captain Tatenda Taibu was run out off a wide, without facing a ball, in the first over. Chamu Chibhabha was run out by Bosman in the next over and Zimbabwe simply had no chance of overcoming the escalating required run-rate. Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor baled some of the water out of the sinking ship, both scoring 28 of 26 balls. But offspinner Thandi Tshabalala then tormented the middle-order, who were hitting out in desperate fashion, to finish with 2 for 16 in his four overs.

Cobras 143 for 6 (Gibbs 60) beat Dolphins 132 for 6 (Khan 50) by 11 runs
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The Dolphins buckled under the pressure of good death bowling to give the Cobras an 11-run victory in their Standard Bank Pro20 match at Newlands. Tight bowling in mid innings by Tyron Henderson (2 for 16) and captain Con de Lange (1 for 18) had applied the pressure that was exploited in the final four overs. Charl Langeveldt took the wickets of grant Rowley and Morné van Vuuren with successive deliveries to tilt the game decisively in the Cobras' direction. Vernon Philander conceded only seven off the penultimate over to leave the Dolphins requiring 19 from the last six balls and although the impressive Kent finished with 46 not out from 32 balls, Langeveldt had the final word. He took two more wickets in the final over to finish with figures of four for 26 from his four overs.

The target had been largely posted by dropped Proteas star Herschelle Gibbs who took out his frustrations on the Nashua Dolphins attack. He powered to a quickfire 60 in the Cape Cobras 143 for 6 after being left bizarrely kicking his heels in the dug out for four overs while rising young star Richard Levi had a taste opening the batting in Pro20. Levi looks a fine prospect - and smashed all Jacques Kallis's batting records at Wynberg Boys' High - but he scratched around for four overs before being caught behind for 4. That opened the way for Gibbs to stride to the wicket and pull the Dolphins apart hitting seven fours and two sixes in his 42-ball innings. Andrew Puttick made 36 in 40 balls and Rory Kleinveldt hit two late sixes in his seven-ball 15 to lift the score beyond the Dolphins' reach.