Defiant Vallie knock not enough for Warriors
Cobras cruise to 57-run win against Eastern Cape team
AVALIANT unbeaten 93 from Warriors batsman Yaseen Vallie was not enough to stave off a 57-run defeat against the Cape Cobras in a Momentum One-Day Cup clash at Buffalo Park in East London last night.
It was the Warriors’ second defeat in as many games.
Despite Vallie managing the highest score of the night, he did not receive enough support to get the home side over the line.
Border and Warriors allrounder Aya Gqamane claimed his 50th one-day wicket with a double strike in the 36th over – having Stiaan van Zyl (44) caught by Sisanda Magala, before bringing up the milestone with the next delivery, trapping Justin Ontong (14) in front to reduce the Cobras to 202/4.
“I am very happy to have reached that landmark. It’s been a long time coming,” Gqamane said.
The visitors produced a good finish, reaching 319/6 at the end of their 50 overs.
The Warriors got their chase off to a poor start after Jon Jon Smuts (9) was caught by Dane Piedt off the bowling of Rory Kleinveld.
Then Colin Ingram (16) and Colin Ackermann (2) both fell in the same over – caught on the boundary and behind the stumps respectively off the bowling of Jason Smith.
Gihahn Cloete and Vallie revived the chase with a 58-run partnership, taking the hosts past 100 before Piedt trapped Cloete in front for 40.
Vallie brought up his half-century in the company of Lesiba Ngoepe, as they took them past the 150-run mark.
The Warriors fell to 165/6 when Ngoepe (24) was trapped leg before by Ontong and Simon Harmer (6) was caught behind off the bowling of Protea test player Vernon Philander.
A superb 62-run partnership between Vallie and Andrew Birch looked as if it might just drag the Warriors back into the contest.
However, Birch (38) ran himself out going for an ill-judged second run, with the Warriors on 227/7.
Magala (13) and Gqamane (0) fell off successive deliveries to Smith and Tshepo Moreki respectively, and Basheer Walters was last man out for 12, leaving Vallie agonisingly short of a century.
The Warriors won the toss and elected to field.
Much as in their opening match against the Lions, the Warriors struggled with the ball as they allowed openers Richard Levi and Omphile Ramela to set a good platform for the Cobras.
The pair put on 118 for the first wicket, with Levi the aggressor as he bludgeoned his way to an impressive 73 off just 55 balls before Magala made the breakthrough.
Van Zyl then joined Ramela and they took the Cobras past 150 in the 26th over.
Ramela (59) was run out by Magala going for a quick single.
Van Zyl and Ontong took the score past 200 before Gqamane claimed his double strike.
Dane Vilas (46) and Smith (29) then shared a quick 76-run stand, with both falling within four runs of each other.
Vilas was run out from a direct throw from Harmer and Smith was bowled by Magala.
Aviwe Mgijima (21 not out) and Philander (16 not out) ended the innings well, striking 25 runs off the last two overs.