The Cobras recorded a resounding victory over the Lions at the Wanderers, beating the home team by an innings and 71 runs.
The Cape Cobras needed just three days to win their 4-Day Franchise Series encounter comprehensively against the Highveld Lions in the Bullring. It was Cobras captain Dane Piedt who cleaned up the Lions batting order after a valiant century from Stephen Cook (103 off 198 balls, 11 fours).
The left-handed Wihan Lubbe (81 off 133 balls, 10 fours, two sixes) and right-handed wicketkeeper-batsman Nicky van den Bergh (73 off 83 balls, seven fours, one six) each scored defiant half-centuries during a plucky 127-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
It was the dismissal of Van den Bergh, with the Lions on 341-5, that opened the floodgates and sparked a calamitous collapse from the home team. Piedt dismissed all three of the Lions’ top performers with his deadly accurate right-arm off-spin before the opposition was eventually dismissed for just 354 all out.
The travelling captain was the pick of the Cobras bowlers as he finished with figures of 7-118 in 43 overs at an economy of 2.74 runs to the over. The captain was rightly awarded the Man of the Match accolade for his efforts after being instrumental in dismissing the remaining five Lions wickets for the addition of just 13 runs.
The Cobras leapfrog the Lions on the log table to claim top spot after the second round of fixtures in the domestic competition.
Photo: Sarah Ansell/Getty Images
