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Cobras edge towards victory

Potchefstroom - The Highveld Lions suffered a middle-order collapse to stumble to 176 for eight in their second innings at stumps on the third day of their SuperSport Series match against the Cape Cobras at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom on Saturday.

The Lions lost five wickets for 35 runs as they slipped from 113 for two to 148 for seven to give the home side a slender 38-run lead over the Cobras at the close of play.

A 69-run third-wicket partnership between Stephen Cook and Enoch Nkwe took the Lions to 113 for two before both men were dismissed for the addition of two runs.

First to go was Nkwe, caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Claude Henderson, before Cook was out lbw to medium pacer Stiaan van Zyl.

Cook was out for 59 off 117 balls with six fours and his departure saw the Lions slip to 115 for four, still trailing the Cobras first innings score by 23 runs.

The Lions took their score to 133 before Van Zyl picked up his second wicket as he removed Andrea Agathagelou leg-before with the Lions five runs from making the Cobras bat again.

Van Zyl added to the Lions’ woes when he picked up his third wicket, and third lbw decision, when he sent Dane Vilas packing with the Lions on 138 for six.

Henderson then snared his second and third wickets when he dismissed Aaron Phangiso and Friedel de Wet to leave the Lions struggling on 171 for eight five minutes before the scheduled close of play.

Andre Nel struck some lusty blows to reach 24 off 27 balls and he and Garnett Kruger, who had yet to score, were the not out batsmen at stumps.

Henderson reached the close of play with three for 48 while Van Zyl had captured three for 43.

The Lions had already overcome a rocky start to their second innings to reach 98 for two at tea.

Seamer Rory Kleinveldt picked up two wickets, Neil McKenzie and Jean Symes, as the Cobras reduced the Lions to 44 for two before Cook and Enoch steadied the Lions’ innings with their partnership with Cook bringing up his second half-century of the match with a four off the last ball before the tea break to reach 51 off 88 balls with six fours.

Earlier, Andrew Puttick’s marathon innings was ended half-way through the morning session before the Nashua Cape Cobras were bowled out for 434 on the stroke of lunch.

Puttick, who began the day on 154, eventually fell for 174 off 346 balls with 21 fours when he was caught behind by keeper Dane Vilas off the bowling of paceman Friedel de Wet. Puttick’s efforts ensured that the Cobras had built a 138-run lead over the Lions.

The left-handed Puttick batted for 495 minutes in scoring his runs while De Wet picked up two wickets in his next two overs as he removed Claude Henderson and Kleinveldt for a duck and three runs respectively.

The Cobras had lost three wickets for seven runs as they wilted from 397 for five to 404 for eight before Canning and Richard Lotter (10) restored some sanity to the Cobras innings with a 29-run partnership for the ninth-wicket before Lotter was dismissed courtesy of fast bowler Craig Alexander.

Left-arm spinner Symes then wrapped up the Cobras innings when he trapped last man Francois Plaatjies lbw for a duck with Canning remaining unbeaten on 46 off 60 balls.

De Wet’s burst during the morning session gave him figures of three for 74.

The visitors began the day on 331 for four with Puttick and Richard Levi at the crease.

Levi, who resumed on 42 not out, went to his seventh first-class half-century off 60 balls, before he was sent back to the pavilion by Alexander for 57 off 65 balls while his fifth-wicket stand with Puttick was ended on 84.

Teams:

Highveld Lions: Neil McKenzie (captain), Enoch Nkwe, Jean Symes, Stephen Cook, Andrea Agathagelou, Dane Vilas, Craig Alexander, Garnett Kruger, Aaron Phangiso, Andre Nel, Friedel de Wet

Cape Cobras: Andrew Puttick, Alistair Gray, Stiaan van Zyl, Henry Davids (captain), Richard Levi, Ryan Canning, Rory Kleinveldt, Claude Henderson, Francois Plaatjies, Richard Lotter, Martin Walters
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