The Highveld Lions thrashed the Cape Cobras by 10 wickets in their Sunfoil Series opener at the Wanderers.

Needing just 43 more runs for victory going into day three, the Lions needed just nine more overs to complete the most simple of victories against a side clearly low in motivation, given the drama that’s happened off the field.

A number of Cobras players, including senior members Omphile Ramela and Andrew Puttick, are believed to want coach Paul Adams out, but the board decided to keep him on.

Ramela and Puttick scored just 14 runs between them in the match, as their side posted 102 and 211, with 18-year-old debutant Wiaan Mulder notching up match figures of 7-64.

They actually did well to bowl the Lions out for 154 with Temba Bavuma holding firm on 76 not out, before Stephen Cook and Rassie van der Dussen picked off the 160 needed to win in the second innings in just 26.5 overs.

The Knights also opened with a victory in an enthralling match in Centurion. The visitors from Bloemfontein were bowled out for 174 in the first innings, trailing the Titans by a significant 113 runs.

Then, however, the Knights bowled the hosts out for the second-lowest score in four-day history, as Marchant de Lange, against his old side, notched up figures of 7-23 to bowl them out for 57.

Needing 171 for victory, it would be another former Titans employee in Theunis de Bruyn to lead his side to victory, holding firm on 90 not out to bag the four-wicket victory.

Photo: Samuel Shivambu/Backpage Pix