Cobras win big after restricting Lions to 188

Half-centuries from Richard Levi and Andrew Puttick guided Cape Cobras to an emphatic six-wicket victory over Lions, who were skittled for 188 by a combined bowling effort from Dane Paterson and Zakhele Qwabe. Despite the loss, Lions rank third on the points table, trailed by Cobras at No. 4.

Having elected to bat, Lions were reduced to 53 for 4, losing three wickets for three runs in the space of 11 balls to Qwabe and George Linde. The duo, who took five wickets between them, triggered another three-wicket slide starting in the 24th over to stifle Lions to 93 for 7 in 30.3 overs.

Willem Mulder and Nono Pongolo, however, launched a late fightback with a 69-run stand for the eighth wicket. Pongolo, who struck five fours in his 62-ball 47, then put on another 26 with Aaron Phangiso (22) for the ninth, before Paterson effected the last three dismissals to claim his four-for and have Lions bowled out in 49.5 overs.

By contrast, Cobras' chase was founded on a solid 125-run opening partnership between Puttick and Levi, whose 60-ball 85 - peppered with 15 fours and two sixes - earned him the Player-of-the-Match honours. Puttick struck an unbeaten 57 off 84 balls and completed the chase with Aviwe Mgijima, who clobbered two fours and a six off consecutive balls in the 33rd over to seal the third win for Cobras in seven matches.

Dolphins and Warriors shared two points each from their abandoned match in Durban. Only 36.4 overs were possible after Dolphins opted to bat and were racing at 236 for 3. They were led by a solid opening stand of 139 between Vaughn van Jaarsveld (85) and Morne van Wyk in only 26.5 overs. They lost three wickets in the space of nine overs before rain washed out the match.

The game had been reduced to 40 overs per side during the opening stand but rain returned to end the match. Dolphins took a five-point lead at the top of the table, with Titans second, and Warriors are second from bottom with only two wins from six matches.