Johannesburg – The Cape Cobras would have been pleased with an early breakthrough shortly before the close of play after they had been well restricted by the Warriors in their first innings on the opening day of the Sunfoil Series match in Paarl on Thursday.
After bowling the Cobras out for 262 runs, the Warriors reached 11for one, trailing by 251 runs with nine wickets in hand in their first innings when stumps were drawn.
Spin bowler Dane Piedt struck in the fourth over, trapping opener Michael Price leg-before as the hosts made early inroads in the visiting side's first innings chase.
Warriors captain Davy Jacobs, who was unbeaten on six, and JJ Smuts, who had yet to get off the mark, were at the crease at the close.
The Cobras had gotten off to a shaky start after winning the toss and opting to bat, with only opener Alistair Gray making a significant top-order contribution.
Gray made 67 runs from 152-balls, sticking around for more than three hours as he held off the Warriors attack.
He was eventually removed by Proteas left-arm paceman Wayne Parnell in the second session as the visitors took control.
Middle-order batsman Dane Vilas, however, put up a fight with a well constructed 45 runs.
Vilas was bowled by spinner Smuts, who returned three for 22, midway through the final session, and tail-enders Vernon Philander, who hit 21 runs, and Rory Kleinveldt, who added 36, made valuable contributions down the order.
Seamers Andrew Birch and Parnell did a large chunk of the early work for the Warriors attack, taking two wickets each to put the home side on the back foot.
Meanwhile, in Pietermaritzburg, the first day's play between the Dolphins and the Knights, both looking for their first win of the competition, was abandoned before the toss. – Sapa