CAPE TOWN 167 (Kyle Coetzer 72, Nathan Palmer 30, Riaaz Teladia 3-37) beat VICTORIA 102 (Miles Williamson 63) by 65 runs
In his last match of the season for Cape Town before departing for English County Cricket commitments, Kyle Coetzer contributed strongly in all departments of the game to power his side to a comfortable win over a very depleted and inexperienced Victoria line-up. His two-and-a-half-hour vigil at the crease on a pitch that grew increasingly slower and lower as the day progressed was impressive enough, but its true value could only be fully appreciated when contrasted with how Victoria struggled with the bat.
Having won their fifth successive toss, Cape Town had the best of a pitch that was never going to be easy for strokeplay. As had happened the previous week they again got off to a solid start, only to lose three quick wickets - this time to Riaaz Teladia's lively left-arm seam. Fortunately however, the middle order again rallied, and Coetzer found solid support from an uncharacteristically patient Nathan Palmer as they rebuilt the innings by adding 64 in almost 20 overs. Although the last six wickets fell within seven overs once the visitors finally got the breakthrough, restricting the final total to a seemingly mediocre 167, it still seemed competitive in the prevailing conditions.
The proof of that was quickly apparent when Victoria batted. Set back immediately by losing two wickets within the first four overs, it soon became obvious that victory or defeat lay squarely on the shoulders of opening batsman Miles Williamson. While partner after partner fell at the other end - seven of the visiting batsmen failed to get off the mark - Williamson scored freely and with great power. With run rate never really an issue the home side felt real pressure, especially once he found some support in a 30-run sixth wicket partnership that took Victoria halfway to their target with half their overs and half their wickets still remaining. Cape Town was consequently obliged to delay taking its second powerplay until the 26th over, but once the breakthrough was achieved the end came quickly. The last five wickets tumbled inside six overs, with Williamson last man out - going down in a blaze of glory in a hopeless attempt to win the match by himself.