File photo – Stephen Cook scored a half-century in Lions’ first innings © Getty Images
Lions leapfrogged Warriors at the foot of the table after winning a tight game at Buffalo Park by 14 runs. Set 258 to win on the last day after an overnight declaration by Lions, Warriors slipped to 44 for 2 before staging a series of fightbacks. First came a 112-run fifth-wicket partnership between Colin Ingram (46) and Lesiba Ngoepe (77 off 104 balls, 9×4), before both fell in the space of 16 balls. It was 183 for 8 following two more quick wickets, and Warriors seemed on the brink of a comfortable win, when Simon Harmer (45) and Anrich Nortje (26 off 24 balls) jolted them with a 54-run ninth-wicket stand. It wasn’t quite enough, though, as Warriors dismissed both of them in the space of nine balls. Beuran Hendricks, Ayavuya Myoli and Bjorn Fortuin took three wickets each.
Only 30.3 overs were possible on the first day’s play after Warriors chose to bowl first. Starting day two on 107 for 3, Lions were bowled out for 307. Opener Stephen Cook (50) and No. 5 Rassie van der Dussen (82 off 175 balls, 10×4) were their top scorers while the fast bowler Nortje picked up four wickets.
Then, with both teams looking to make up for time lost on day one, came a pair of declarations. Warriors were 104 behind when they closed their first innings, after an unbroken 80-run seventh-wicket stand between Somila Seyibokwe (52*) and Harmer (31*) had rescued them from 123 for 6. Then Lions lost two early wickets to Basheeru-Dean Walters before Dominic Hendricks (76*) and Temba Bavuma (52*) added a brisk, unbroken 113 to set up a second-innings declaration at 153 for 2.
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo