Cobras outplay Lions with both bat and ball

Three wickets apiece from Tladi Bokako, Lizaad Williams and Jason Smith led a sensational bowling performance by the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras as they dismantled the bizhub Highveld Lions on the opening day of their 4-Day Domestic Series encounter in Johannesburg on Monday. Janneman Malan and David Bedingham then drove home the advantage by hitting unbeaten half-centuries to help the visitors reach stumps in complete control at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium. The pair were batting together with the Cobras on 204 for two, having earlier rolled over the Lions for just 104 in 32.1 overs. For the hosts, their performance would have brought back memories of a poor last season and quickly erased the good work they had done last week when they began 2018/19 with a win over the Warriors. New coach Enoch Nkwe saw his side win the toss and elect to bat at the start, but that was about the only thing that went their way. Openers Stephen Cook (2) and Omphile Ramela (1) were sent packing in the opening four overs by Bokako (3/31). There was only one passage of play that went their way when Dominic Hendricks (30) and Reeza Hendricks (41) added 67 for the third wicket. But both were taken out by Williams (3/40) as the Lions horribly lost their way from 71 for two to 104 all out – a colossal collapse of eight for 33. Smith was the man that ripped through the tail with figures of three for 17. Zubayr Hamza (31) helped the Cobras reach 97 for two before he fell, but it was then the Malan and Bedingham show as the pair recorded their highest scores at franchise level. The pair, playing only their second matches, scored an unbeaten 90 (158 balls, 12 fours, 1 six) and 65 (88 balls, 8 fours, 3 sixes) respectively and shared in an unbroken 107-run stand that left the game heavily tilted in their favour.