THE Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras moved to the brink of back-to-back Sunfoil Series titles after they beat the Chevrolet Warriors by 184 runs at Sahara Park Newlands on Sunday.
With the Chevrolet Knights falling to a dramatic defeat, the Cobras’ 19.5 points gave them a significant lead at the top of the table which is unlikely to be overhauled.
The Cobras were made to work for their fifth win of the season, but still wrapped the game up with a session to spare as they bowled the Warriors out for 289.
The visitors were 123 for two at the start of the final day, and made a promising start as Colin Ackermann and Ashwell Prince saw off the first hour.
However, once Ackermann was trapped lbw by Dane Piedt for 78, wickets began to fell regularly.
Ryan Bailey was out lbw to Justin Kemp, Jon-Jon Smuts was caught behind off the bowling of Travis Muller and then Prince’s final innings in South African professional cricket was ended when Rory Kleinveldt had him caught for 41.
Kleinveldt went on to record figures of 3 for 42 to go with the four wickets and a half-century he contributed in the first innings as he dismissed Simon Harmer and Andrew Birch.
A 63-run partnership for the ninth wicket between Athenkosi Dyili (42) and Rusty Theron (38 not out) put the Cobras celebrations on hold, but Muller and Dane Paterson finished off the match with plenty of time to spare.
The result gave the Cobras a lead of more than 19 points over the Knights, which all but assured them of a second straight four-day trophy.
