Spin bowler Dale Deeb shone with the bat on Friday, stroking his maiden first-class century as the Highveld Lions retained control on day two of their SuperSport Series cricket match against the Knights in Kimberley.
Lions opener Stephen Cook, who had carried his bat through the first day, lasted less than seven overs in the morning session before Dillon du Preez had him caught by Quinton Friend for 131, without adding to his overnight score.
Deeb, however, held up the tail with a marvelous 101 runs off 165 deliveries, batting at No 9, and was well supported by Ethan O’Reilly who was at the crease for nearly two hours for his 33 runs.
The visitors eventually declared at 455/9 before seam bowler Pumelela Matshikwe ran riot.
Matshikwe was on fire, taking 4/41 to lead the Lions attack as the home side stumbled to 161/5, still trailing by 294 runs in their first innings with five wickets remaining.
Obus Pienaar was unbeaten on 51 when stumps were drawn, putting up a lone fight after none of the Knights top-order batsmen had carried through after making decent starts.
Meanwhile, in Pietermaritzburg, opening batsman Jacques Rudolph smashed 118 runs from 191 balls to lay the foundation for the Titans as they opened up a 97-run first-innings lead over the Dolphins.
Rudolph and Tumelo Bodibe resumed the Titans innings at 20
without loss in the morning, and while Bodibe fell in the 10th over of the day, Rudolph stood his ground until shortly before tea.
Having shared a 139-run partnership with Farhaan Behardien, Rudolph was eventually removed by seamer Robert Frylinck who had him caught by Dolphins captain Imraan Khan.
Behardien contributed 74 runs, and wicketkeeper Heino Kuhn carried the tail, adding an unbeaten 75 and guiding the visitors to 340/9 before the close of play.
Dane Paterson was the most successful of the Dolphins bowlers, taking 3/73 including a double strike shortly before tea when he removed Behardien and Titans captain Martin van Jaarsveld in the same over. – Sapa