The Cobras staged a dramatic late fightback to clinch an 18-run victory over the Warriors in the final of the MTN Domestic Championship at a packed Newlands.

In the end, the Warriors paid for a slow start when set 214 in 45 overs, and they lost six wickets for 34 in less than six overs as they tried to hit out at the death. Fittingly, Alan Dawson, in his farewell one-day match for the Cobras, took the last wicket to fall off the first ball of the final over.

It was much the same story in the Cobras innings, with a flurry of late wickets after a slow start. But the difference was that in between Adam Bacher and Andrew Puttick accelerated as the shine went off the ball, and then after a wobble during which they slid to 119 for 4, Ashwell Prince and Vernon Philander cut loose with a sprightly fifth-wicket stand of 59.

It took some tight bowling from Justin Kreusch and Johan Botha, backed by some superb fielding, to stop the Cobras running away with the game.

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