A gutless performance by the Cape Cobras saw them crushed by the Lions just after tea on the third day of the Supersport Series match at Newlands on Saturday.
Claude Henderson made a triumphant return to his previous home ground to claim the first 10-wicket haul of his first-class career as the Cobras were dismissed in less than a full day’s play.
Resuming on 83 for five, the late order slumped to 149 for nine. Rory Kleinveldt and Charl Willoughby made the score slightly more respectable with a spectacular partnership of 66 in six overs before the former holed out for 63 (46 balls, five fours and five sixes).
Willoughby recorded his highest score in the competition with an unbeaten 32 (18 balls, four fours and two sixes). Claude Henderson took some fearsome punishment in the process, but nevertheless took six wickets.
Neil McKenzie enforced the follow-on, and Andrew Puttick was dismissed before the lunch break. Eight wickets fell before tea as the Cobras folded with hardly a whimper, too often hitting the ball in the air with disastrous consequences. This time it was Tyron Henderson who was the chief destroyer, claiming five wickets in the session.
The final session of the day lasted just two balls, with Willoughby this time miscueing the first delivery he faced.
The Hendersons shared nine of the wickets, with Tyron taking five for 37 while Claude took four to finish with a match analysis of 10 for 127. This condemned the Cobras to their second successive innings defeat on their home turf. The margin of an innings and 165 runs is one of the biggest since the inception of the franchise system.
Claude Henderson was named man of the match, although the innings of Justin Ontong and McKenzie had placed the Lions in a postion from which only they could win. — Sapa