Davids scripts Cobras victory

Proceedings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium were delayed for almost two hours following a security alert today

Henry Davids smashed an unbeaten half-century as the Cape Cobras eased to an eight-wicket victory over Victoria Bushrangers in the Champions League Twenty20 in Bangalore.

The start of the second-round match was delayed by close to two hours due to a security scare, but play eventually got under way with the game reduced to 17 overs.

Andrew McDonald's 2), Cameron White's 24 and Aiden Blizzard's 22 helped Victoria reach a decent 125 for five, but the Cobras' reply was emphatic.

Opening batsman Derek Brand got his side off to a flying start with 29 from 15 balls and Davids made easy work of the chase, clobbering seven fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 69 as the Cobras coasted to victory with an over to spare.

The result ended Royal Challengers Bangalore’s hopes of going through to the semi-final.

Hours before the start of the match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, a player from Jammu and Kashmir’s under-22 team was questioned by Bangalore City police after security services suggested the presence of explosive material in a bag in his room.

The Jammu and Kashmir team have been in Bangalore for a domestic tournament and are staying on the stadium premises.

Police later decided there was no cause for concern, and Bangalore City police announced the man had been released without charge and the match would go ahead.

M R Pujar, the Additional Commissioner for Police, Law and Order and Security, said: “Following a regulation security sweep of M Chinnaswamy Stadium this morning, police were called to investigate a suspicious bag.

“A young man was taken for questioning by police but he has subsequently been released without charge.

“Police and security experts have checked the stadium twice, as well as the suspicious bag, but nothing of concern has been found.”

Cobras captain Andrew Puttick appeared confused at the toss and was unsure of his team at that point – top order batsman Herschelle Gibbs eventually pulled out due to the security scare - but it was Victoria who were rattled when the game began.

Monde Zondeki got the Cobras off to a flying start as he eked out both of the Bushrangers openers in the early stages

Monde Zondeki gave the South African side an excellent start by removing both openers – Rob Quiney and Brad Hodge caught at fine-leg and bowled respectively – for ducks in his first over with the new ball.

Blizzard cracked four boundaries as he injected some momentum into Victoria’s innings, but Rory Kleinveldt snared the batsman in his second over to leave the Australian side reeling at 28 for three.

Victoria managed 31 from the powerplay – reduced to five overs – and when David Hussey, who shared a 31-run stand with skipper White, was caught by Kleinveldt at point off JP Duminy for 19, the Cobras had all the advantage.

White, however, found good support from McDonald, the two reviving the innings with a 35-run stand for the fifth wicket.

They were considerably aided by a wayward Duminy, who conceded 31 from his next two overs, while Kleinveldt was cracked for consecutive boundaries by Mathew Wade to leak 12 from his third – the 15th of the innings.

McDonald’s hitting and Wade finished 18 not out enabled Victoria finish with a decent score.

The Cobras then lost Puttick cheaply as he tamely fed Peter Siddle into the hands of McDonald at midwicket, but Brand got his side off to a flyer with an array of attacking shots.

Brand was superbly run out by bowler Clint McKay in his follow through, but the Cobras cantered along with Davids and Duminy ticking along nicely.

Davids reduced the required rate to less than a run a ball with sixes in consecutive Jon Holland overs, but survived two dropped catches – by McDonald on 37 and Blizzard on 47 - en route to a 41-ball half-century. He brought up victory with a four off Harwood.