Captain Dane Piedt kept his team in the hunt with a three-wicket haul on another day of toil for the young Cape Cobras bowling unit in the Sunfoil Series.
Piedt had spoken ahead of the trip to Port Elizabeth, where the Cobras are doing battle with the Warriors at St George’s Park, about the importance of the senior bowlers leading the way while the rookies find their feet at franchise level.
And in true captain’s spirit, the off-spinner bagged 3/55 from a marathon 28 overs to restrict the home side to 263/4 when stumps were drawn on Thursday.
It was a crucial spell of bowling for the two 23-year-old seamers Lizaad Williams (15 overs, 0/62) and Tshepo Moreki (14 overs, 0/68) as both conceded more than four runs per over, while Eddie Moore (100, 12x4, 1x6) and Yaseen Vallie (63, 9x4) piled on the runs for the Warriors.
Piedt will, though, be pleased with his young all-rounder Jason Smith’s efforts on the day.
Although the fourth wicket belonged to Dane Paterson, Smith – also just 22 – delivered 18 overs of solid medium-pace to concede just 36 runs.
It allowed the Cobras to build up some sort of pressure from one end, which allowed Piedt to strike from the other with Moore, Gihahn Cloete and Lesiba Ngoepe falling to the skipper.
Another testing day awaits the Cobras bowling unit on Friday, with the wicket of Jon-Jon Smuts being the major priority.
The Warriors skipper is currently unbeaten on 46 and is capable of inflicting major damage, as his 117 and 58 last week against the Highveld Lions at the Wanderers indicate.
The other not out batsman is Jerry Nqolo, while the Warriors still have capable willow-swingers in Clyde Fortuin, Sisanda Magala and Andrew Birch remaining in the sheds.
@ZaahierAdams