Cobras on top despite Vallie ton

Dane Piedt and Dane Paterson shared eight wickets to put the Cape Cobras in pole position after day one of the Sunfoil Series clash against the Warriors.

Cape Town - Proteas Test spinner Dane Piedt and seamer Dane Paterson shared eight wickets to put the Cape Cobras in pole position after day one of the Sunfoil Series clash against the Warriors in Paarl on Thursday.

Paterson claimed 4/41 in 16.5 overs and Piedt 4/75 in 21 overs to help dismiss the Warriors for a lowly 214 all out, with former Cobras batsman Yaseen Vallie reaching his 11th first-class hundred in what was the only score above 42s.

Paul Adams’ team then tried to keep as many wickets intact as possible before the close as they took few risks in batting out the remaining 28 overs in the day for 57 runs, but they lost veteran opener Andrew Puttick for one.

Simon Khomari (23 not out) and captain Omphile Ramela (unbeaten on 25) ensured there was no further drama as the Cobras enjoyed one of their better days in the competition as they are second-last on the log with one victory in six games.

Earlier, Beuran Hendricks got the ball rolling for the Cobras when he had Warriors opener Jon-Jon Smuts caught by Piedt for a duck in the third over of the day.

Michael Price and Colin Ackermann combined for a 46-run stand for the second wicket, but left-armer Wayne Parnell had Price caught behind by wicket-keeper Dane Vilas for 12.

Ackermann went along steadily to 42, but was trapped lbw by Piedt for a well-played innings off 81 balls (6x4).

But that sparked a middle-order collapse as the Warriors lost three wickets for 20 runs Paterson bowled Kelly Smuts for 11 while Piedt got rid of Jerry Nqolo via a lbw decision for two. That left the Eastern Cape team at 94/5, and they never quite recovered.

The 26-year-old Vallie played a lone hand as he tried to prove a point against his former team after having to leave Cape Town for Port Elizabeth to play regular franchise cricket.

After a slow start where he took 23 balls to reach nine, Vallie hit Parnell for two boundaries in the 26th over to get going. He got to his half-century off 85 balls, but needed just 39 more deliveries to stroke his way to a hundred.

But Paterson had the last laugh as he bowled Vallie in the same over for an excellent 104 off 127 balls (14x4).

Gihahn Cloete (20) and Simon Harmer (13) provided some resistance, but it wasn’t enough as the Warriors were bowled out in 65.5 overs.

The Cobras will hope to bat just once and post a big score at Boland Park over the next day before applying further pressure on a shaky Warriors batting line-up.

ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za

@IndyCapeSport

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