Philander costing Cobras

Times Media

TELFORD VICE, Cape Town

WHO are the impostors playing in the Champions League T20 (CLT20) and what have they done with the Cobras - who lost just seven of their 20 matches across all formats in SA last season but have been beaten twice in three days in India?

Worse yet, the impostor in chief is among the most Cobras’ most respected men, a leader in the bigger picture and in the smaller picture a player they count on for consistency and a cool head: Vernon Philander.

The Cape side’s unreasonable facsimile of their former selves was first seen on Friday, when they failed to rid themselves of Kane Williamson and his 101 not out as Northern Districts racked up 206/5.

Rain put the Cobras’ reply out of its misery after 7.2 overs. Their score at that stage, 44/2, meant the New Zealanders won by 33 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis method.

On Sunday, Justin Ontong’s team posted a decent 184/6 against the Hobart Hurricanes. But their bowlers again lost their way, allowing Ben Dunk and Aiden Blizzard to roar to half-centuries and with that victory by six wickets.

Philander’s return of 2/39 from his four overs against Northern Districts does not leap out as a poor performance. However, he went for 14 runs in one over and 15 in another - not what the Cobras need from a senior player - and the free hit that resulted from a no-ball he bowled was swatted over cover for six to take Williamson to his century.

Williamson is a fine player but that innings is his first century in a format in which he has scored just six 50s in 62 innings, only one of them at international level.

The reaching of the hundred had a key impact on both teams. The Kiwis were suddenly confident, the Capies crestfallen.

Afterwards, Philander highlighted the advantage Northern Districts would have earned by playing all three of their qualifying games at Raipur, the same venue for their match against the Cobras - who did not have to qualify and came in cold from the SA off-season.

“They knew the conditions and used them to their advantage,” he said. “It wasn’t the best of starts, but we haven’t played competitive cricket for a while. A couple of warm-up games over here would have helped.”

That reasoning was only valid until Sunday, when Philander bowled an even more costly no-ball. Had the delivery been legal, Blizzard would have been caught in the deep for 52. Instead, the reprieve let him continue his assault to 78 not out.

That Philander over cost 24 runs - the most expensive of the innings - and it sparked a blast of 32 runs off eight balls by Blizzard.

“The fickle nature of T20 is that you have to play with freedom and confidence,” Williamson said after scoring his century. “It’s important to be free and relaxed and play as fearlessly as possible.”

That healthy thinking will not come as news to players of the calibre of Philander and teams as good as the Cobras. But someone needs to remind them before they play the Barbados Tridents at Mohali on Friday, where another loss would seal what already looks like an early exit.