The Highveld Lions wasted little time in finishing off the Cape Cobras at the Wanderers on Friday, needing just 40 minutes to knock off the remaining 43 runs to win by 10 wickets in the opening round of the Sunfoil Series.
Unfortunately Proteas opener Stephen Cook missed out on a 39th first-class hundred as he ran out of runs, ending on an unbeaten 97 off just 91 balls (17x4), while opening partner Rassie van der Dussen finished on 50 not out (74 balls, 8x4) to clinch victory early on day three.
The Lions picked up 15.08 points, with the Cobras getting just four.
The Lions chased down the 160-run target with ease in just 26.5 overs, in stark contrast to the three previous innings in the match, where the bowlers were dominant. The Cobras could only muster 102 and 211 in their turns at the crease, while the home team were dismissed for 154.
So the Cape side may have thought they have a chance in the fourth innings, especially with two current Proteas Test bowlers in their attack in the shape of Vernon Philander and Dane Piedt.
It was Dane Paterson who nearly got the breakthrough when he found the edge of Cook’s bat on Thursday afternoon, but the catch was put down by Stiaan van Zyl at slip with Cook on six.
The 33-year-old right-hander knuckled down with Van der Dussen and they took the game away from the Cobras by compiling 117 runs in 18 overs to effectively seal the deal before Friday’s finishing touches.
So for Cobras coach Paul Adams, it is another frustrating outcome as he had spoken in the build-up about how his specialist batsmen needed to show fighting spirit and put a premium on their wickets.
But the highest score from a top-four batsman across both innings came from new No 3 Zubayr Hamza, who hit 29 off 31 balls in the first knock, with all of captain Omphile Ramela, Andrew Puttick and Proteas Test batsman Van Zyl failing in both visits to the middle.
The only Cobras player who stood out with the bat was 21-year-old all-rounder Jason Smith, who struck 95 off 117 balls (16x4) in the second innings - to go with his 4/24 with the ball during the Lions first innings - while Piedt added a 41 to his first-innings 22.
The Lions and Proteas camps will be delighted that both their Test batsmen, Cook and Temba Bavuma (76 not out in the first innings), got among the runs ahead of next month’s three-Test series against Australia, while Hardus Viljoen made a bid for Test selection with a haul of 6/75 in the Cobras second innings.