Nine overs after the lunch break, the Lions declared their second innings closed on 194/2, which left the Cobras with a victory target of 279 runs in about 54 overs.

The Cobras made a complete hash at the start of their chase and were reduced to 96/7 after 37 overs.

Ugasen Govender (1/30), the Lions medium paceman, led the charge by making the breakthrough in the 17th over when Andrew Puttick (17) edged a delivery to the slips where Vaughn van Jaarsveld pouched the offering.

Thereafter, speedster Andre Nel (2/8) and spinner Monty Panesar (4/42) combined their efforts to topple the Cobras' batters at regular intervals - and when the Cobras were tottering at 96/7, the visiting Lions must be felt that they were on the victory trail.

But Ryan Canning and Rory Kleinveldt (both 20 not out) stood their ground for 20 overs in a stubborn eighth wicket partnership to force the stalemate after 57 overs into the Cobras' second innings.

The Lions started off the final day on a sound note when they promptly ended the Cobras' first innings in the first over of the morning session.

During that one over tail-ender Francois Plaatjies (4) cracked a boundary before Nel (5/64) wrapped up his fifer. The four runs allowed the Cobras close their innings at 332 after their overnight score of 328/9. The Lions scored 416 runs in their first innings.

With a 84-run advantage under their belts, the Lions made might light work of their second innings with opener Alviro Petersen leading the way with an undefeated 122 runs, which included 17 boundaries.