An unbeaten 81 from the Lions' classy middle-order batsman Neil McKenzie and a workmanlike 86 from Stiaan van Zyl for the Cobras, enabled their respective sides to reach 323 for five and 246 for five at stumps on the first-day of their SuperSport matches on Thursday.
Thami Tsolekile on 25, was at crease with McKenzie when the umpires called time at the Wanderers.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Lions got off to a reasonable start against the Warriors with Stephen Cook and Alviro Petersen putting on 72 for the first-wicket.
The partnership came to an abrupt halt with Petersen edging a Kelly Smuts delivery to Simon Harmer at short cover.
The recovery was instigated by Cook and Jonathan Vandiar with a second-wicket partnership of 67.
Unfortunately for Vandiar – dropped on 13 by Ashwell Prince under the watchful eye of national selector Corrie van Zyl Ä he misread an Andrew Birch delivery, which was deflected down the leg side, but keeper Athenkosi Dyili took a brilliant catch diving to his right.
Stalwart Cook (74), followed 24 runs later caught at second-slip by Jon-Jon Smuts.
In Cook's 183 minute stay at the crease he had found the boundary 12 times, facing 131-balls.
The reconstruction of the innings fell on the shoulders of McKenzie and Zander de Bruyn who compiled 116 runs for the fourth wicket.
The breakthrough came in the 83rd over with Adrian Birch trapping De Bruyn in the crease for 62.
Meanwhile, down at Newlands, the Cobras who are entertaining the Dolphins, won the toss and elected to bat but made heavy weather of it, going to the lunch break on 76 for one.
Directly after the break, Yaseen Valli was dismissed by quickie Dane Paterson, caught by Robbie Frylinck.
Van Zyl and Justin Ontong set about rebuilding the innings with a third-wicket partnership of 107.
Just when it looked as if the innings had a solid foundation, it went pear-shaped, as Paterson castled Van Zyl on 86 with his knock containing eight boundaries.
As with many partnerships, Ontong (61) followed soon after, run out by Cameron Delport.
When the players walked off the park at close, Alistair Grey (36) and Dane on six were the not-out batsmen. – Sapa