Warriors, Cobras battle in PE

Port Elizabeth - It was left to tailenders Basheer Walters and Sisanda Magala to produce the best stand of the Warriors innings as the Cape Cobras capitalised on winning the toss by dismissing the home side for 203, on the opening day of their four-day cricket match on Thursday.

When stumps were drawn, the Cape side had reached 11 without loss and will be looking to build on the momentum they created on the first day through some fine bowling by their attack.

The Warriors looked far off the 200-mark when their ninth wicket fell at 150, but Walters (24 not out) and Magala (32) showed due diligence in adding 53 for the 10th wicket, the best partnership of the innings.

For the rest, it was confined to pockets of resistance by the Warriors batsmen, with several batsmen getting starts, but none able to improve on David White's top score of 38.

Ryan Bailey contributed 37, Simon Harmer 33 and Gionne Koopman 21.

Cobras opening bowler Dane Paterson set the trend for the innings, removing Michael Price and Jon-Jon Smuts, who contributed just one run between them, by the time the total had reached 17.

There was partial recovery from White and Bailey, but EP kept losing wickets on a regular basis. They slumped to 67 for four and then from 123 for five, the next four wickets fell for 27 runs before the late heroics of the tailenders.

After Paterson's initial strikes, Lizaad Williams (3/64) and leftarm spinner George Linde (3/56) ensured the Cobras' decision to field first was vindicated.

The attack kept a firm grip on proceedings and the Warriors could not break loose, scoring at two and half runs an over.

Scoreboard on day one:

Toss: Cape Cobras

Warriors first innings

M Price c Levi b Paterson 0

D White c Vilas b Linde 38

J Smuts c Vilas b Paterson 1

R Bailey lbw b Williams 37

C Ingram c Engelbrecht b Kemp 2

G Koopman lbw b Linde 21

S Harmer b Williams 33

A Birch c Kemp b Linde 0

A Gqamane lbw b Williams 3

S Magala b Engelbrecht 32

B Walters not out 24

Extras: (lb 6, nb 6) 12

Total: (all out) 203 -- 80.1 overs

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-17, 3-60, 4-67, 5-94, 6-123, 7-123, 8-136, 9-150, 10-203.

Bowling: Paterson 18-7-32-2, Williams 20-3-64-3 (5nb), Mgijima 5-2-23-0 (1nb), Linde 24-6-56-3, Kemp 10-5-12-1, Engelbrecht 3.1-0-10-1

Cape Cobras first innings

R Levi not out 4

O Ramela not out 5

Extras: (nb2) 2

Total: (0 wickets) 11 -- 5 overs

Bowling: Birch 3-2-4-0, Walters 2-0-7-0 (2nb).