Bowlers set up Cobras win

Cape Town - Beuran Hendricks led a splendid all-round bowling display as the Cape Cobras took a huge step towards the Momentum One-Day Cup final with a comprehensive six-wicket win over the Highveld Lions at Boland Park in Paarl on Sunday.

The left-arm seamer claimed 3/18 to help the hosts dismiss their visitors for a paltry 133 all out in 40.3 overs.

There were also 2 wickets each for Dane Piedt (2/20), Dane Paterson (2/26) and Wayne Parnell (2/35).

The hosts then cruised home with just 4 wickets down and 16.5 overs to spare, thanks to an unbeaten 63 off 86 balls from Andrew Puttick.

Stiaan van Zyl made 35, but the real work had been even before the Cobras had gone out to bat with their bowlers firing.

All but one of the Lions batsmen struggled after they had lost the toss and were asked to bat first by home captain Justin Ontong.

The Johannesburg-based team were 3/1, 5/2 and then 7/3 with three of their key batsmen in Rassie van der Dussen (2), Alviro Petersen (2) and Temba Bavuma (0) gone for next to nothing on the scoreboard.

They failed to recover from that and when captain Stephen Cook (9) fell to make it 24/4, they were left scrapping.

Dominic Hendricks top-scored with an unbeaten 44, while extras was joint next best with 15, along with three other players.

Defeat left the Lions in second place on 19 points and as the only side with a chance of overhauling the Cobras (29), who also claimed a bonus point.

But they will need to win their remaining two games with bonus points and hope the Cape side lose their last two matches.