Johannesburg - Highveld Lions spin bowler Eddie Leie ripped through the Titans’ batting line-up on Thursday to give the visitors a sniff of victory on day three of their SuperSport Series match in Benoni.
Titans opener Heino Kuhn made 59 runs off 61 balls but Leie, playing only his second top-flight match, led the Lions attack, taking five for 27 to leave the hosts reeling at 163 for eight.
The Titans led by only 110 runs in their second innings with two wickets in hand when stumps were drawn.
Lions opener Stephen Cook, on 95 overnight, earlier went on to post his 23rd first-class century after the visitors resumed their first innings at 248 for four in the morning.
Cook made 109, adding another ton to that of fellow opener Alviro Petersen the previous day, before Albie Morkel had him caught behind midway through the first session.
Thami Tsolekile hit an unbeaten 61 - his 23rd half-century - down the order as the Lions reached 407, holding a 53-run lead when they were dismissed before tea.
The Titans attack shared the spoils, with Morkel, Rowan Richards, Hardus Viljoen and Paul Harris bagging two scalps each.
In Paarl, Warriors captain Colin Ingram put up a fight, but his side were left with a lot of work to do, with the Cape Cobras needing 273 to win, with 10 wickets in hand, on the final day.
Ingram, who made a century in his team's first innings, was unbeaten on 92 but he ran out of partners as the visitors were dismissed for 211 in their second innings.
Former international bowlers Robin Peterson, who took four for 65, and Justin Kemp, who returned three for 39, removed the tail cheaply to put the hosts back in shortly before the close of play.
The Cobras, chasing 293 to win, were on 20 without loss at stumps, with Andrew Puttick on 15 and Yaseen Vallie on five.
Resuming their first innings at 213 for eight, the Cobras added 26 runs before they were bowled out 12 overs into the morning session.
Rory Kleinveldt, the last man out, made 42 runs to hold up the tail, but Warriors spinner Simon Harmer wrapped up the innings as the Cobras reached 239, trailing the visitors by 81 runs.
Seam bowler Lyall Meyer took three for 22, doing a lot of the early work the previous day, and Harmer bagged three for 77.
In Bloemfontein, the Knights were in control but running out of time against the Dolphins.
The visitors did well to restrict the home side to 110 for five at stumps, but the Knights held a 210-run lead with five wickets in hand.
Opening batsman Reeza Hendricks was the top scorer midway through their innings, having made 36.
Mthokozisi Shezi and Robert Frylinck took two wickets each to strangle the Knights top order.
Daryn Smit had propped up the Dolphins' first innings earlier in the day, spending six hours at the crease overnight for his 95-run contribution.
Smit received little support, however, as the visitors were dismissed for 240 in their first innings and were left trailing the Knights by 100 runs.
Seam bowler Quinton Friend tore through the Dolphins middle order, returning five for 42, and he was well backed by Ryan McLaren, who took three for 42 after bagging two early scalps to put the visitors on the back foot. - Sapa