The Lions made it two from two in the Momentum One Day Cup with a 42-run victory over the Warriors at Senwes Park on Sunday.
A clinical bowling display by the men from Johannesburg proved to be the difference at the end with Eldred Hawken, Malusi Siboto, Sisanda Magala and Delano Potgieter the pick of the bowlers.
The Lions, though, were tested from the start when they were sent in to bat first by the Warriors.
Struggling at 47-4, Nicky van den Bergh and Potgieter anchored the Lions innings with a very handy 129-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Van den Bergh departed for 73, while Potgieter made 57 as the Lions were dismissed for 210 with a little more than one over remaining.
Mthiwekhaya Nabe starred with the ball for the team from Port Elizabeth, claiming figures of 4-31.
Hawken, however, picked up two big wickets for the Lions with consecutive deliveries as Yaseen Vallie (5) and JJ Smuts (0) were sent back to the pavilion.
The Warriors failed establish any sort of worthy partnerships, losing key wickets throughout that hampered their chances of chasing down the Lions’ total.
#MODC | ? Overs played
L Ngoepe 31*
W Lubbe 1*Last wicket to fall R Second 0 (S Magala) @WarriorsCrickEC 42/3#LionsCharge #WARvLIO pic.twitter.com/tbed4VVbyl
— Imperial Lions (@LionsCricketSA) January 24, 2021
Wihan Lubbe top-scored with 42 and Lesiba Ngoepe made 33 but the Warriors fell well behind the required run-rate.
Bjorn Fortuin and captain Aaron Phangiso also chipped in with a wicket each, the Warriors bowled out for 168.
The Warriors will now face the Cobras on Wednesday in a must-win clash for both teams.
