Lapses in concentration, batting collapses, mental frailties and the inability to seize the key moments contributed to the disappointing season for the Cape Cobras, said Paul Adams, the coach.
The Cobras finished fourth in the Sunfoil Series, lost a semi-final play-off against the Sunfoil Dolphins after a batting meltdown in the final three overs in the Ram Slam T20 Challenge and suffered a defeat in the final of the Momentum One Day Cup competition. They dominated the 50-over domestic showpiece in the league phase, but produced a below-par performance with the bat in the final against the bizhub Highveld Lions.
Adams failed to play the so-called blame game or seek lame excuses for the fact that the Cape Cobras were mediocre in the Momentum One Day Cup final after 16 days in which no competitive game was scheduled.
“No, we had seasoned players, and the players were looking for a mental and physical break as some of them had some niggles. So we have no excuses for losing in the Momentum One Day Cup final,” he said.
Reflecting on the fourth position in the Sunfoil Series, Adams said the top-order was inconsistent and with the exception of Omphile Ramela, no other member of the top-four was able to complete a century.
Andrew Puttick, Simon Khomari and Stiaan van Zyl did not have their best seasons. Van Zyl suffered a crisis of self-confidence after the South African tour to India.
Puttick struck three half-centuries and reached the milestone of 10 000 runs, but did not perform at the high standards he set for himself in four-day cricket.
Adams said an inability to grab the key moments and clinch it, contributed to great escapes by other teams, or wins for opponents.
One example was when the Cobras failed to win the Sunfoil Series match against the bizhub Highveld Lions when the visitors were with the proverbial back to the wall and on wobbly legs with nine wickets down and still short of erasing the first-innings deficit.
The Cobras also knew they could easily have won the final Sunfoil Series match of the season by scoring the 136 runs required for the ten bonus points against The Unlimited Titans.
A collapse and mental frailty against the VKB Knights allowed the hosts at the Mangaung Oval to reach 257 for six to clinch it when the Cobras should have steadied themselves mentally in the second innings.
Adams called for a massive mental improvement by the Cape Cobras next season.
He saluted the performances by Dane Vilas, Wayne Parnell and Dane Piedt.
Vilas finished at the summit of the Sunfoil Series’ batting average after hammering 761 runs, while Parnell struck a century and two fifties and captured 23 wickets in five games at an average of 20.56.
Piedt took 39 wickets at an average of 22.33.
Adams did not support the idea of a batting camp in the off-season to address the batting woes of the top-order. “We have a South Africa A tour starting in June, the national team playing in August, and the national academy. Who will be available?,” he said.
But the Cape Cobras coach did promise the Cape Champions will come back with a vengeance to atone for their trophy-less season which was heart-breaking for the thousands of Cape-fans.