Duminy lone hand helps Cobras clinch thriller

JP Duminy struck the most awesome 99 you will see in this format to take the Cape Cobras to a thrilling last-over victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the tournament opener. With Duminy at his dazzling best, tonight a new chapter began, one that could dictate the future of club cricket.

As he has done at the international stage, Duminy didn't waste time in finding his range, coming in with the Cobras at 62 for 3. Anil Kumble continued to vary his pace and fed Duminy a steady diet of googlies; Duminy was beaten on occasions but replied with deft boundaries, the pick being a cut behind short third man for four. There was a moment of drama, too: Taylor dropped a dolly at long-off when Duminy was 23, after which a dead ball was called because the ball hit the cable of the fly camera.

Once he found his range, Duminy was unstoppable. Vinay was scooped for four and Roelof van der Merwe was driven over mid-on for six. After getting to 50 in 30 balls, Duminy stepped up a notch.

The game was wide open when the Cobras needed 54 off five overs. That was eased significantly as Kohli's part-time medium-pace went for 13 in the 16th over, Kumble and van der Merwe were struck for big sixes and Vinay was mowed for boundaries either side of the pitch. Duminy's final six took him to 99 yet, cruelly, there was to be no century as Rory Kleinveldt finished the deal with two balls remaining.