Robin Peterson took five wickets for eight runs as the Cobras made it a day of ecstasy and agony for Lions captain Stephen Cook in their Sunfoil match in Paarl.
Cook has been the subject of much social media angst, after being rejected once again by the Proteas selectors when they named their squad for the remaining two Tests against England. Early on Saturday morning, he sent an emphatic signal by scoring his second successive hundred in the series.
Then it all went downhill.
The Lions had resumed their innings on 120-0, with Cook on 66 and Rassie van der Dussen on 55. Within 11 overs Van der Dussen had gone for 68 and Yassar Cook (0) in successive overs from Dane Paterson. Cook and Dominic Hendricks built a useful partnership of 87, until Cook was trapped lbw by the left-arm spin of Peterson for 118 off 260 balls: a resolute and determined innings which contained just eight fours.
From there, the Lions lost their remaining seven wickets for the addition of just 17 runs. Peterson destroyed them: he took the five wickets in 3.3 overs as Hendricks went for 46 and no other batsman scored more than two.
Trailing by 318, the Lions were immediately asked to follow on.
There were no heroics second time around for Cook, who went lbw for 19 with the score on 33. Yassar Cook (2) and Hendricks (10) followed shortly afterwards, while Van der Dussen battled on to 41 at the close.
When stumps were drawn, the Lions were 235 behind with seven wickets remaining.
