Cobras up against Caribbean magic

There could never have been a better study in contrast on a stage that has captured and shaped the imagination of many around the world.

As a flamboyant Trinidad and Tobago get ready for battle against the seasoned Cape Cobras, the tension seems only too palpable amongst the South Africans.
Decked in red, the Calypso kings have been on a rampage, winning all of their four games - the last two with consummate ease.

The Cobras have had a merry ride as well with the exception of their last game against the Delhi Daredevils on a pitch that was an aberration in an otherwise wonderfully organised tournament.

That defeat, would hardly be playing on the Cobras' minds. Skipper Andre Puttick has a lot more to worry about.
To begin with, he needs to reflect on the dangerous batting form the men from the Caribbean Islands have exhibited so far. Kieron Pollard showed the way and William Perkins and Navin Stewart promptly picked up the thread.

That is just one. What about Herschelle Gibbs' indifferent run in the Airtel CL T20? Though JP Duminy and Puttick himself have stepped up, it does rattle the team when their best batsman stays off colour for the breadth of a crucial meet.
Puttick, however, chose to play it down: "Gibbs is a bit of an enigma. All he needs to come good is one well timed shot and if he stays on the wicket from thereon, he can win us the match."

A semi-final clash tends to play on the players' psyche. One loss and they know that all the good work done by them over the last two weeks will come undone.

T&T captain Darren Ganga exuded the exuberance in his camp despite the high-profile clash weighing down on him.

"The mood is upbeat in the team. People back home had high expectations from us and now they have become higher.

We are all looking forward to the game on Thursday."

While the Proteas will miss the injured Charls Langeveldt against a power-packed T&T batting line up and hope that Gibbs comes good at last, Ganga has to cope with the pleasant problem of plenty.

There is something about the way the Trinidadians go about their business. When you see a bunch of grown up men, shrieking and screaming like high-school enthusiasts at every step at nets and training, you know they are enjoying their game.
A source close to the team said: "The players are like brothers. They are really good friends and celebrate each other's success."

When Ganga said the mood is upbeat, he knew what he was talking about. Perkins, who has smashed a few around the park already, warned the Cobras to watch out for his team.

"We are confident going into the semis. The Proteas need to watch out. You go tell them, ‘A storm is coming your way maan'."

Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin felt the Trinidad and Tobago have nothing to lose at all.

"The Cobras have to worry more about us, not the other way round. No one had given us a chance coming into this tournament and we have proven a lot of people wrong with the way we have played."

The Cape Cobras have been extraordinarily stiff since they landed in Hyderabad on Tuesday. The players have avoided the media and not many have been willing to talk about the game.

There are a few things to sort out here. The Delhi track may have been turning like a minefield and the low bounce might well have been disconcerting but the way the Proteas capitulated, scoring just 84 runs within 19 overs should be a matter of concern for the coach.

The captain however, refuses to look that far back besides playing down the advantage his counterpart would have had playing at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium more often.

The Cobras, after all have played just one game there.

"We are not too worried about that. We are familiar with the conditions here, maybe not as much as Trinidad and Tobago are.

I am pretty confident that my boys will do well."

For a man, who was not even named in the initial 15 member squad before replacing regular skipper Graeme Smith and having blasted a hundred along the way to leading his team to the last four, confidence is no small word.

As the man of the match from T&T's emphatic win against the Diamond Eagles pointed out: "We don't see the semi-final as a major challenge. It will be just another game for us. Having won all our matches so far, there is no reason why we can't win one more and play in the finals."

That is a chilling assessment of how the new talk of the town has geared themselves up.

Will the sprightly red brigade succumb to the pressure of their new found fame or will they continue their juggernaut?

It will come down to how both teams hold their nerves. Come what may, the action in the middle will not be for the faint-hearted.

The pitch at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium looks a beauty. Curator Chandrashekhar said the second semi-final should be another high-scoring affair after the run riot between the Eagles and Trinidad and Tobago.

"I relayed the entire surface two months ago and it has paid me rich dividends. Batsmen have had fun playing their shots here while the seamers got the ball to bounce."

The curator did well to make sure the wicket did not turn much: "Spectators don't come to watch T20 cricket to see the ball turning square. They want to see runs on the board and big shots."

There is another high-scoring thriller on the cards. A terrific T20 wicket and two strong batting line ups - a perfect mix for a sizzler.

Teams (From):

Cape Cobras: Andrew Puttick (C), Derek Brand, Ryan Canning, Henry Davids, Jean-Paul Duminy, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Herschelle Gibbs, Claude Henderson, Rory Kleinveldt, Richard Levi, Justin Ontong, Vernon Philander, Francois Plaatjies, Stiaan van Zyl, Monde Zondeki, Charl Langeveldt.

Trinidad and Tobago: Daren Ganga (C), Samuel Badree, Navin Stewart, Lendl Simmons, Ravi Rampaul, Denesh Ramdin, Kieron Pollard, William Perkins, Sunil Narine, Dave Mohammed, Adrian Barath, Dwayne Bravo, Rayad Emrit, Sherwin Ganga.