Albie Morkel struck a crucial unbeaten fifty as the Nashua Titans secured a narrow two-wicket win over the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras on the third day of their SuperSport Series match at Boland Park in Paarl on Saturday.

Full Scoring

Morkel ended on 54 off 91 balls as the Titans reached 158 for eight an hour after lunch.

The Cobras began the match atop the SuperSport Series points table with the Titans less than nine points behind in second place.

The nailbiting win moved the Titans to the top of the standings with two rounds of matches left.

The Titans� chances of pulling of the victory had looked unlikely after they sank to 68 for six.

But Morkel and Tumelo Bodibe (36) combined for a seventh-wicket stand of 53 as the Titans clawed their way back into the contest.

The Cobras would have through that they were back on the game when left-arm spinner Robin Peterson had Bodibe caught at first slip three overs after lunch and off-spinner Dane Piedt had Rowan Richards caught at deep midwicket.

The double-strike left the Titans on 122 for eight, still 36 runs short of victory, but CJ de Villiers (13 not out) proved to be the perfect foil for Morkel as the pair put on an unbroken ninth-wicket partnership of 36 to secure the win.

Morkel levelled the scores, and reached his fifty, by slamming a six off the bowling of Peterson before picking up a single to end the contest with three fours and two sixes to his name.

Seamer Johann Louw was the most successful bowler with figures of 3-18 off eight overs.

The day had not begun well for the Titans as they lost nightwatchman Paul Harris (8) in the second over of the day when he was dismissed by Louw.

Worse was to follow for the visitors as Martin van Jaarsveld (4) was caught at mid-off off the bowling of Peterson and Farhaan Behardien (8) skipped down the wicket to Piedt before being bowled to leave the Titans on 45 for five.

Heino Kuhn (19) was then bowled by off-spinner Justin Ontong before Bodibe and Morkel launched their rescue effort on a pitch providing plenty of variable bounce.

TEAMS

Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras � Andrew Puttick (capt), Mohammed Vallie, Stiaan van Zyl, Justin Ontong, Richard Levi, Dane Vilas (wk), Mark Boucher, Robin Peterson, Johann Louw, Dane Piedt, Charl Langeveldt.

Nashua Titans- Heino Kuhn (wk), Jacques Rudolph, Martin van Jaarsveld (capt), Farhaan Behardien, Tumelo Bodibe, Henry Davids, Albie Morkel, Paul Harris, CJ de Villiers, Marchant de Lange, Rowan Richards.