Highveld Lions vs Warriors

Qaasim Adams contributed 87 in his first innings on loan at the Highveld Lions, but the opening day of Sunfoil Series action at Bidvest Wanderers still belonged to the Warriors after they dismissed their hosts for 291.

Loaned out to the Lions for two matches because he could not get a game at the Titans, Adams shared a 125-run stand for the fifth wicket with Nicky van den Bergh that kept the home side afloat after the loss of four early wickets.

After winning the toss and opting to bowl, the Warriors struck twice with the new ball as Basheeru-Deen Walters bowled Rassie van der Dussen and Sisanda Magala trapped Stephen Cook lbw, the Lions captain falling after batting more than an hour for his five – an indication of just how tricky conditions were early on.

Yassar Cook counterattacked with a brisk 42 on his Sunfoil Series debut, but fell within five overs of Dominic Hendricks as the Lions slumped to 77 for four shortly before lunch.

Adams dug in well, scoring 14 from his first 62 deliveries, but the runs came quickly for the left-hander as well as Van den Bergh as the ball became old, and he reached his half-century in 85 balls.

Meanwhile Van den Bergh backed up the fifty he scored on Sunfoil Series debut last week with another half-century, but the stand was broken when he was trapped lbw for 63 by Colin Ingram in the lead-up to tea.

Adams was next to go when he was lbw to Simon Harmer, and from 244 for five the Lions stumbled to 291 all out, with Andrew Birch taking the last two wickets to finish with 3 for 33.

Just one over was possible in the Warriors reply before bad light intervened, but Colin Ackermann and David White still grabbed a boundary apiece off Hardus Viljoen as the visitors closed on nine without loss.

Sport24