Lions beat Knights convincingly

Johannesburg - Captain Stephen Cook led from the front on Sunday, smashing a century to guide the Highveld Lions to an eight-wicket win over the Knights in their domestic one-day cup match in Bloemfontein.

The veteran opener made his seventh career ton, contributing 102 runs off 108 balls, as the visitors coasted to victory with 11.4 overs to spare.

With his side chasing 206 to win, Cook shared 137 runs with Alviro Petersen for the first wicket before Petersen was removed by Dillon du Preez in the 26th over.

The skipper was dismissed by Shadley van Shalkwyk just 15 runs short of their target and Temba Bavuma, who contributed 38 not out, carried the Lions to a solid victory.

Earlier, middle-order batsman Rudi Second had laid the foundation for the Knights' innings after they lost the toss and were sent in to bat.

Second hit 74 runs from 106 deliveries, combining in a solid 79-run partnership with Pite van Biljon (29) for the fourth wicket.

After they were removed, Obus Pienaar put up a fight in an attempt to hold the tail together with an unbeaten 47-run knock at a little faster than a run a ball, but the home side's last six scalps fell for 51 runs as they were bundled out for 205 in the final over of their innings.

Seam bowler Dwaine Pretorius led the Lions attack, returning career-best figures of four for 35.

Scoreboard:

Toss: Lions

Knights innings

R Hendricks c Tsolekile b Tsotsobe 17

G Abrahams c Petersen b Tsotsobe 4

T Bodibe c Morris b Pretorius 7

R Second c Tsolekile b Pretorius 74

P van Biljon c Tsolekile b Pretorius 29

O Pienaar not out 47

D du Preez b Pretorius 0

W Coetsee c Symes b Morris 11

C Dry c Tsotsobe b Morris 0

S van Schalkwyk run out (Morris) 1

M Siboto run out (McKenzie) 0

Extras: (lb1, w14) 15

Total: (all out) 205 -- 49.2 overs

Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Abrahams), 2-29 (Hendricks), 3-43 (Bodibe), 4-122 (Van Biljon), 5-154 (Second), 6-154 (Du Preez), 7-187 (Coetsee), 8-188 (Dry), 9-204 (Van Schalkwyk), 10-205 (Siboto)

Bowling: Morris 9.2-0-32-2 (5w), Tsotsobe 10-2-51-2, Pretorius 10-2-35-4 (3w), Rabada 10-0-43-0 (5w), Leie 7-0-34-0 (1w), Symes 3-0-9-0

Lions innings

S Cook c Van Schalkwyk b Du Preez 102

A Petersen c Du Preez b Van Schalkwyk 52

T Bavuma not out 38

N McKenzie not out 6

Extras: (lb5, w2, nb2) 9

Total: (for two wickets) 207 -- 38.2 overs

Fall of wickets: 1-137 (Petersen), 2-191 (Cook)

Bowling: Du Preez 8.2-1-40-1 (1w), Dry 4-0-29-0, Van Schalkwyk 8-0-30-1 (1nb, 1w), Siboto 7-1-41-0 (1nb), Pienaar 3-0-26-0, Coetsee 8-0-36-0.