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Cape Town - A career-best eight wickets in a marathon effort of 50.4 overs by Dane Piedt helped the Cape Cobras to an epic 37-run victory over the Warriors deep into the final day of their 4-Day Franchise Series clash in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
The spinner finished with eight for 130, which included 16 maidens, to bowl out the hosts for 380 in pursuit of a 418-victory target with just 3.2 overs of the game remaining.
Gihahn Cloete’s century (108 off 193 balls, 16 fours) was overshadowed in the process as the Cobras secured a huge win in the context of the season.
This thanks to a massive effort from Piedt and his team-mates, while the Warriors too had to be credited for coming so close to toppling the log-leaders, who now extend their lead even further at the top of the table.
The Eastern Cape franchise had started day four on 93 for none at St George’s Park, needing a further 325 to earn a priceless win.
Eddie Moore was batting alongside Cloete at that stage, but after the pair raised the century stand, the former became Piedt’s first victim after he was bowled.
Another big stand followed between the centurion and Colin Ackermann (43) - the pair adding 89 for the second wicket - before the Cobras’ spinner accounted for both with the score on 192.
Yaseen Vallie (46) and captain Jon-Jon Smuts (44) had to start from scratch again, with the pair doing a good job of things by adding 78 for the fourth wicket as the hosts reached 270 for three.
Again both fell within eight overs of each other leaving the tail with too much to do.
Sinethema Qeshile (34) and Clyde Fortuin (20) did their best to try and pull off the unlikely, with the Warriors even reaching 352 for six at one stage, but Piedt outlasted everyone and help script a fine win.
His figures also surpassed his previous best return of seven for 92 for the Cobras against the Titans back in 2010/11.
The other two wickets on the card were taken by Dane Paterson (2/107), who had learnt earlier in the day of his addition to the South Africa squad for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan starting next week.
Overall, the result had a massive effect on the table as it allowed the Cobras to move clear at the summit of the table to a total of 126.16 points, over 30 ahead of the Highveld Lions with four rounds to play.
The next round of fixtures begins on January 4.
