• 4-Day Series wrap: Lions’ courageous call pays off

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    A brave overnight declaration resulted in a 10-wicket win for the Central Gauteng Lions against the Free State Knights at the Wanderers on Sunday.

    The Lions declared on 193-3, with a first-innings 69-run lead, before Malusi Siboto (4-17), Duanne Olivier (3-13) and Wiaan Mulder (3-40) bowled out the Knights for 103.

    That left the home side needing 35 runs for victory, which they achieved without losing a wicket.

    After a frustrating three days affected by rain, the Lions’ decision to declare paid off almost immediately as Olivier took two wickets within the first five overs.

    The Knights slumped to 57-6 and things didn’t get better for them as Mulder and Siboto wrapped up the innings.

    Lions openers Joshua Richards (11*) and Dominic Hendricks (22*) needed just 4.5 overs to record the team’s fourth straight win and cement their spot at the top of the table.

    In Potchefstroom, the North West Dragons made the most of the break from the rain as Shaylin Pillay (156) and Christopher Britz (60) put on 136 runs for the third wicket against the KZN Dolphins.

    The Dragons finished the drawn, rain-affected match on 313-2.

    No play was possible on day four of the match between the Boland Rocks and Northerns Titans due to rain, resulting in a draw.

    The fourth round of Division Two matches will take place from 2 December, while the Division One sides will return to action on 19 December.

    4-Day Series Round 3 Day 4:

    Central Gauteng Lions beat Free State Knights by 10 wickets
    Knights:     124 & 103 after 49.3 overs; M Kleinveldt 19 (89), K Dudgeon 18 (16); M Siboto 4-17, D Olivier 3-13
    Lions: 193-3 dec & 38-0 after 4.5 overs;  J Richards 11* (11), D Hendricks 22* (19)

    North West Dragons drew with KZN Dolphins
    Dolphins:     400-9 dec; M Ackerman 123 (156), R de Swardt 71 (97); D Potgieter 5-85, L Senokwane 2-40
    Dragons: 313-2 after 100 overs; Pillay 156 (265), L Senokwane 91 (177); K Mungroo 1-46, E Bosch 1-48

    Boland Rocks drew with Northerns Titans
    Titans:     308 & 96-3
    Rocks: 234

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    Warriors:     366
    WP: 79 & 173

    4-Day series log

    Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

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    Simon Borchardt