The 4-Day Series resumes on Thursday after a near three-month break for the limited-overs leg of the domestic season.

The Central Gauteng Lions have been the standout side after winning three of their four matches for a total of 83.96 points, with the Northerns Titans (71.24) leading the chasing pack.

The Lions have a tough game back when they travel to fourth-placed Boland (62.42). The men from Paarl enjoyed a productive 50-over season where they reached the final, which they lost on Sunday.

However, they can take plenty of confidence from their One-Day Cup campaign into the first first-class match of the year against a Lions side that won just twice in seven in the same competition.

The Titans, meanwhile, come up against Western Province in Centurion.

While the hosts still have an eye on the title, WP are sixth with 50.54 points and embroiled in an impending relegation battle alongside bottom side the EP Warriors (37.64), who have played a game more, and the North West Dragons (50.42).

The KZN Dolphins, crowned One-Day Cup champions at the weekend, also cannot count themselves as completely safe from that scrap – they have 58.16 points ahead of their key home encounter with the Dragons.

The Warriors are up against the Free State Knights (64.94) in the round’s other match-up.

There are also plenty of personal tussles to look out for with bat and ball.

Lesego Senokwane of the Knights leads the run charts with 553 at an average of almost 70, with the Warriors’ Jordan Hermann (507 runs at 50.70) not far behind him.

The battle for top wicket-taker is currently between three spinners – Province’s slow left-armer Kyle Simmonds (25 wickets at 17.28), Prenelan Subrayen (25 wickets at 19.20) of the Dolphins and Boland’s Shaun von Berg (24 wickets at 18.08).