Cape Cobras captain Dane Piedt stepped up when it mattered most in his side’s 4-Day clash against the Warriors in Port Elizabeth on Thursday.
With the hosts cruising at 229/4, pursuing the Cobras’s first-innings total of 266 all out, Sinethemba Qeshile (41) was run out by Jason Smith.
That wicket broke an 86-run partnership with Warriors leader Jon-Jon Smuts and gave the Cobras new hope.
Piedt acted on this hope and then had Clyde Fortuin caught behind for 11, before Dane Paterson clean bowled Simon Harmer for a duck.
The Cobras captain then had his opposite number, Smuts, caught by Zubayr Hamza for 63 to add to his earlier wicket - that of opening batsman and danger man Edward Moore for 75.
Piedt ended with bowling figures of 3/56, while Mthiwekhaya Nabe (3/43) did the early damage as the Warriors lost their last six wickets for just 23 runs to end on 252 all out.
With a surprise first-innings lead of 14 runs, the Cobras then got their second-innings underway.
Pieter and Janneman Malan, who put on 124 runs for the first wicket in the first innings, again got the visitors off to a great start.
This time the brothers wasted no time to score 130 runs for the first wicket before Pieter edged a Lutho Sipamla delivery to wicketkeeper Fortuin for 61.
When play resumes on Friday, Janneman (77*) and Hashim Amla (8*) will look to add to the Cobras’ overnight score of 148/1.