A 231-run opening stand between Dean Elgar and Grant Mokoena helped the Northerns Titans post 374-4 against Western Province at Newlands on Thursday.
Mokoena scored 154 off 291 balls (26 fours) while Elgar – the Proteas Test captain – made 117 off 159 (18 fours).
The Titans made a blistering start when batting first against a much-changed Western Province outfit that featured three debutants in Kieran Kenny, Daniel Smith and Gavin Kaplan.
Youngster Yves Kamanzi made the all-important breakthrough to dismiss Elgar, before Mokoena and Neil Brand (48) added another 97 runs.
Mokoena was finally sent back to the sheds after bringing up his 150, with Kenny nabbing his first of two career wickets in the longer format.
Despite losing two more men at the crease, Sibonelo Makhanya (20*) and rising star Jordan Hermann (18*) took the Titans through to stumps.
The log-leading Central Gauteng Lions continued their fine form as Duanne Olivier (4-38) and Sisanda Magala (4-83) ripped through the Boland Rocks batting lineup to bowl them out for 170. Janneman Malan top-scored with 54 off 79 balls (10 fours).
The Lions will resume their innings on day two on 25-1.
In Potchefstroom, the EP Warriors ended the opening day of their match against the North West Dragons on 313-6 after Lesiba Ngoepe (88) and Edward Moore (79) fired with the bat. The Dragons’ Eldred Hawken took 2-56, including the scalp of Ngoepe.
At Kingsmead, the KZN Dolphins had Keegan Petersen (57) and Khaya Zondo (48) to thank as they reached stumps on 197-6 against the Free State Knights. Knights fast bowler Alfred Mothoa took 3-31.
4-Day Series Round 3 Day 1 scores:
Division One:
Central Gauteng Lions trail Boland Rocks by 145 runs
Rocks: 170 after 51.1 overs; J Malan 54 (79), S van Zyl 42 (63); D Olivier 4-38, S Magala 4-83
Lions: 25-1 after 7.2 overs; J Richards 18 (25), R Hendricks 6 (19); K Abbott 1-10, H Viljoen 0-14
EP Warriors lead North West Dragons by 313 runs
Warriors: 313-6 after 102 overs; L Ngoepe 88 (135), E Moore 79 (147); E Hawken 2-56, L Zuma 1-46
Northerns Titans lead Western Province by 374 runs
Titans: 374-4 after 103 overs; G Mokoena 154 (291), D Elgar 117 (159), K Kenny 2-71, Y Kamanzi 1-34
KZN Dolphins lead Free State Knights by 197 runs
Dolphins: 197-6 after 72 overs; K Petersen 57 (78), K Zondo 48 (98); A Mothoa 3-31, P Botha 1-14
Division Two:
Limpopo Impalas lead Northern Cape Heat by 259 runs
Impalas: 259-6 after 104 overs; B Shiburi 80 (180), L Kaestner 78 (188); A Swanepoel 4-46, J van Dyk 1-42
Eastern Storm trail South Western Districts by 211 runs
SWD: 242 after 83.4 overs; L du Plooy 91 (232), S Whitehead 66 (106); D Posthumus 3-10, J Snyman 3-40
Storm: 31-2 after 16 overs; G Koopman 26* (53); S Whitehead 2-4, R Meyer 0-12
Eastern Cape Iinyathi lead KZN Inland Tuskers by 290 runs
Iinyathi: M Marais 87 (119), J Niemand 70 (220); M Erlank 4-41, M Khumalo 2-41
