CAPE TOWN – An 11th career century by Farhaan Behardien and a record sixth wicket partnership for the Momentum Multiply Titans were two of the main highlights before the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras fought back on day three of their 4-Day Domestic Series encounter in Benoni on Wednesday.
The visitors reached stumps at 140 for two on the penultimate day at Willowmoore Park, with Pieter Malan (42) and Jason Smith (46) carrying their hopes heading to day four after they helped their side move into a six-run lead.
However, it was Behardien and former Cobras man Dayyaan Galiem who dominated proceedings earlier with a franchise record 190-run sixth wicket stand that enabled them to build a 134-run first innings advantage.
The Titans started the morning on 336 for five, with their veteran Standard Bank Proteas ace going on to complete a fine century – his second one in as many weeks.
He eventually fell for an excellent 140 (250 balls, 16 fours, 2 sixes), but Galiem kept going until he reached his previous highest score of 81 (190 balls, 12 fours).
🛑 Day 3 done and dusted
🐍 140/2 after 41.2 overs
6⃣ run lead
🔫 Gun day #4DaySeries #TTNvCOB #StrengthInDiversity #NewSeason #SameTradition pic.twitter.com/fKR8mRqjiH
— COBRAS CRICKET (@CobrasCricket) October 16, 2019
Together the pair broke the Titans’ old sixth-wicket partnership record of 184 shared between Roelof van der Merwe and Mangaliso Mosehle against the Warriors at the same venue in 2014/15.
Both star batsmen were dismissed by Dane Paterson, who excellent with an impressive seven for 91. It was the 13th career five-for by the paceman and one that ensured that, bar Behardien and Galiem, no one else provided any meaningful contribution to the total.
The Cobras then made an attacking start to the reply with Janneman Malan plundering 41 off 46 balls in an opening stand of 64 with Pieter Malan that came inside 15 overs.
He was dismissed by Tshepo Moreki (2/38), who also accounted for David Bedingham for a duck not long after, but Smith provided comfort for the Cobras with the senior Malan, who was six runs shy of 10,000 first class runs, in an unbroken 72-run third wicket stand that took the Cape side to the close.
Sport Reporter