Wins loom for Knights, Lions

Times Media

TELFORD VICE, Cape Town

THE Knights could wrap up victory in Bloemfontein on Saturday in the season’s opening round of first-class matches, while the Lions are on top of the Titans at the Wanderers.

When the Knights were dismissed for 140 on Wednesday, they could not have imagined that they would take a lead of three runs into the second innings.

But that was how the numbers stacked up when the home side claimed the one wicket they needed to end the Warriors’ reply at 137 with the eighth ball of Friday’s play.

By stumps, the Knights were 286/8 in their second innings and had built their lead to 289 runs. They did so largely on the back of Rudi Second’s patient 92 not out, which consumed 217 balls.

Second shared stands of 68 with Gihahn Cloete, 69 with Corne Dry and an unbroken effort of 60 with Quinton Friend, while Rilee Rossouw’s 44 was the Knights’ second best score.

In Johannesburg, the Lions added 126 runs to their overnight score of 275/5 before they were dismissed for 401 with Marchant de Lange and Shaun von Berg sharing six wickets.

Kagiso Rabada propped up the second half of the order with an unbeaten 48 that featured six fours and two sixes. Rabada and Hardus Viljoen added 53 for the ninth wicket.

Dean Elgar’s first innings as a Titan lasted five balls. He shouldered arms to a delivery from Viljoen and was trapped plumb in front.

Heino Kuhn and Qaasim Adams also went cheaply, and when Theunis de Bruyn fell leg-before to Chris Morris for 30 the Titans had slipped to 47/4.

A partnership of 55 between Farhaan Behardien and Roelof van der Merwe eased their troubles, and Behardien has found a fellow fighter in Mangaliso Mosehle.

They have put on 56 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket. Behardien will resume on Saturday on 45 with Mosehle 35 not out.

The Titans limped to stumps on Friday on 158/5, still 243 runs behind.