Cobras let themselves down in both innings, says Malan

THE Cape Cobras runaway steam train came to a grinding halt at Boland Park yesterday morning with Craig Alexander driving the Highveld Lions to a much-deserved victory.

Alexander claimed three of the five remaining wickets to wrap up a superb 186-run win for the visitors, which trimmed the previously unbeaten Cobras’ lead at the top of the table from 33 points to 12. The former Capetonian fast bowler ended with 3/52 as the hosts fell from their overnight 186/5 to 246 all out on the last morning, with left-arm spin duo Bjorn Fortuin (3/37) and Aaron Phangiso (3/77) also claiming six wickets in the fourth innings.

The only consolation for the Cobras was Pieter Malan (101) registering his third century of the season, while Jason Smith struck 74.

“We set ourselves the goal of spending the whole day in the field because Pieter and Smith seemed to set out their stall, but fortunately we made the early breakthrough,” Lions captain Temba Bavuma said. “It has been a strong collective effort. The batters got us going in tough conditions on day one. And then the bowling attack won the game for us.”

The Four-Day Franchise Series takes a backseat now for the Mzansi Super League that gets underway next Friday, but for players like Malan the pain of defeat will linger on for a while.

“It is not the game we wanted to play. We let ourselves down in the first innings, and to a degree in the second innings too. It is disappointing,” Malan said. “We tried not to look to far ahead, take it ball by ball. We gave ourselves a 10 percent chance of pulling it off, but unfortunately it didn’t happen.