The Cape Cobras bowlers made the best possible use of play that was available on a weather-interrupted first day of their final SuperSport Series clash against the Warriors at Boland Park on Thursday.
The defending champions, who had the slightest of points advantage over the Titans heading into this fixture, were initially held up due to a wet outfield delaying the start of play until after the lunch interval.
It was, however, only due to sterling work from the Boland Park ground staff that had covered the majority of the field, not only the pitch, that play was able to get underway at all.
And despite bad light further interrupting play on two occasions, the Cobras still managed to reduce the Warriors to 196
for nine in 61.3 overs.
Whebn play resumes the 10th wicket pair of Andrew Birch (1) and Basheeru Walters yet to score mark will be hoping to hold up the home side, even more.
Cobras opening bowler Johann Louw was the initial chief-destroyer when he found the outside edge of Michael Price's bat in the first over of the innings. His partner, Rory Kleinveldt, followed suit when he trapped Jon-Jon Smuts on the crease to leave the Warriors reeling at five fro two.
Matters would have been even worse for the visitors had Justin Ontong held on to a Bevan Bennet outside edge in Louw's following over, but Ontong, fielding in the gully, spilled the chance.
Bennet, a former Western Provinc Amateur opener, made his former union pay for their slopping fielding with a gutsy half-century. The right-hander faced 104-balls, hit five fours and one six during his 62-run stay at the crease. He eventually succumbed caught-and-bowled to Kleinveldt.
It formed the backbone of the Warriors' innings, where only Craig Thyssen (33) and Simon Harmer (46) made any worthwhile contributions lower down the order.
Thyssen would, though, be disappointed with his dismissal as he had done the hard work on a difficult pitch, only to gift spinner Claude Henderson (four for 55) with an easy wicket by attempting a loose drive on the walk. Wicket-keeper Ryan Canning gleefully accepted the stumping chance. It was Henderson's second wicket of the day after Warriors captain Justin Kreusch had chopped on to his stumps in the over immediately after the tea interval.
The players returned for a short bit of play late into the afternoon, but it was all Henderson needed to remove both Harper and Andrew Birch. Harper hit one straight down the throat of Owais Shah at mid-off, while Andrew Birch was clean bowled on the last ball of the day.
Young Cobras off-spinner Dane Piedt was not as impressive as he was last week when he claimed seven for 92 on debut, but did manage the solitary scalp of Kelly Smuts (14) during the middle session. -
Sapa