The new cricket season opened in dramatic fashion at Supersport Park on Thursday, with 14 wickets falling on the opening day of the Supersport Series match between the Titans and the Knights.
At close of play, the Knights had 99 for four in reply to the Titans' first innings score of 227.
Johan van der Wath was the wrecker-in-chief for the Knights, taking six for 53 as the Titans were bowled out before tea, striking as early as the fifth over when he trapped Tumelo Bodibe for seven.
Ryan McLaren bagged two wickets in three balls, with Henry Davids caught behind by Morne van Wyk for five and Martin van Jaarsveld lbw for nought two balls later.
Jacques Rudolph and Farhaan Behardien put on 37 for the fourth wicket before Van der Wath continued his exploits trapping Behardien lbw for 18.
Rudolph was looking superb, but McLaren put an end to his innings when he had him leg before wicket for 80, including 17
fours, off 81 deliveries with the Titans going to lunch on 129 for five.
Heino Kuhn and Shaun von Berg went some way to stabilising the situation with a partnership of 62 before Malusi Kuhn fell four runs short of his half-century, caught by Malusi Siboto off the bowling of Obus Pienaar.
Pienaar struck again in his next over, getting Von Berg caught by Siboto for 24.
Van der Wath wrapped up the Titans innings, with the last three wickets falling for just 38 runs.
Boeta Dippenaar took a brilliant diving catch to send Morne Morkel back to the dressing room without scoring, CJ de Villiers was caught behind by Van Wyk for 12, and Marchant de Lange was caught by Siboto for 25.
The Knights lost wickets nearly as quickly as their opponents and were looking decidedly shaky on 43 for four.
De Lange took the wickets of Reeza Hendricks, lbw for 10, and Dippenaar, caught behind by Kuhn for nought, while De Villiers dismissed Dean Elgar (caught and bowled) for nine and Pienaar, caught by Behardien for a duck.
Ryan Bailey and captain Van Wyk restored some sanity.
Bailey made his way serenely to his 24th first class half century, hitting 10 fours and facing 64 deliveries.
When bad light stopped play, he was not out on 57 and Van Wyk had 18, with their partnership worth 56 runs. – Sapa