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Alviro guides Lions to stumps

Johannesburg - Alviro Petersen strode to an unbeaten half-century as the bizhub Highveld Lions reached 87 for two at stumps on the first day of their SuperSport Series match against the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras at the NF Oppenheimer Ground in Randjesfontein on Thursday.

The Lions trail the Cobras by 110 runs on the first innings after bowling the visitors out for 197 at tea.

Petersen ended the day on 58 off 84 deliveries which included nine fours and a six while he shared in a first-wicket partnership of 21 with Stephen Cook (six) and a second-wicket stand of 48 with Jonathan Vandiar (11).

Cook perished when he edged a delivery from seamer Vernon Philander through to keeper Ryan Canning while Vandiar skied a delivery from left-arm spinner Robin Peterson to fine leg.

Neil McKenzie, on nine, will be at the crease with Petersen when play resumes on day two.

Canning had played almost a lone hand for the Cobras as he top-scored with 51 with the next best scores being a pair of 20s from JP Duminy and Stiaan van Zyl.

Canning brought up his fifty off 101 deliveries but 18 balls later he was dismissed when he played a short delivery from fast bowler Craig Alexander to Stephen Cook at short leg.

Canning’s departure left the Cobras on 160 for nine but an entertaining, unbroken last-wicket stand between Charl Langeveldt and Monde Zondeki (13) saw the tail-enders pummel 37 runs off 6.5 overs before Zondeki lofted a delivery from seamer Robbie Frylinck to Vaughn van Jaarsveld at extra cover.

Langeveldt was unbeaten on 18 off just 19 balls.

Canning had tried his best to resurrect the Cobras’ innings after lunch and he received some support from Philander (six) as the pair put on 22 runs for the seventh wicket before the right-handed Philander edged a wide delivery from seamer Zander de Bruyn through to keeper Thami Tsolekile.

Johann Louw faced 47 deliveries in scoring just nine but his resistance was ended when he played across the line to a delivery from Alexander and was trapped leg-before to leave the Cobras on 159 for eight.

The Cobras post-lunch session did not get off to the best of starts when Robin Peterson (five) became left-arm swing bowler Cliffe Deacon’s third victim of the innings when he edged a delivery to Van Jaarsveld at second slip.

Deacon ended the innings with figures of three for 41 while Alexander, Frylinck and De Bruyn all snared two wickets apiece.

Earlier, Deacon captured two wickets as the Lions held the Cobras to 96 for five at lunch.

The Cobras, who won the toss and elected to bat, were given a reasonable start by the opening pair of Graeme Smith (19) and Andrew Puttick (16) as the left-handed duo put on 24 runs for the first wicket.

But both men fell to Deacon to leave the visitors on 35 for two.

Van Zyl and Justin Ontong (six) then took the Cobras to 61 before the visitors lost two wickets without adding to their score when Van Zyl was trapped leg-before by seamer Frylinck and De Bruyn had Ontong caught behind by Tsolekile.

JP Duminy and Canning set about repairing the damage with a fifth-wicket stand of 32 before Duminy became left-arm spinner Paul Harris’s first wicket for the Lions after his off-season move from the Titans when the bowler had the left-handed batsman caught behind.

Teams:

bizhub Highveld Lions
– Alviro Petersen (capt), Stephen Cook, Jonathan Vandiar, Neil McKenzie, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Zander de Bruyn, Thami Tsolekile (wk), Cliffe Deacon, Robbie Frylinck, Paul Harris, Craig Alexander.

Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras
- Graeme Smith, Andrew Puttick (capt), Stiaan van Zyl, JP Duminy, Justin Ontong, Ryan Canning (wk), Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Johann Louw , Charl Langeveldt, Monde Zondeki.
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