Eldred Hawken continued his excellent induction for the Lions by claiming another five-for that roared them into a powerful position at the halfway stage of their 4-Day Domestic Series clash with the Knights in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

The fast bowler, who claimed eight wickets on debut for the log leaders in the previous round of games, followed that up with 5-36 as the visitors were rolled over for 158 with the heavens opening in the late afternoon.

After they returned, the visitors were asked to follow on and fell into further strife as Beuran Hendricks nabbed 2-9, adding to his earlier 4-54, to make it six in the day for him as the central franchise limped to stumps on 33-3, trailing by 167 runs.

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Their two innings were in response to the defending champions’ 358 earlier in the day, a total built around an impressive 150 (275 balls, 28 fours) by Dominic Hendricks.

The left-hander, 142 not out overnight, initially saw his side collapse woefully from 331-4 to their eventual total – a capitulation of six wickets for just 27 to start the day as Corne Dry ended with 5-84.

But Hawken and Hendricks destroyed the Knights’ batting by sharing nine wickets as they were bundled out in 50.5 overs.

Raynard van Tonder finished as the top-scorer with 34.

The same two pacemen made the ball talk in the 13 overs sent down in the second dig, leaving the away side in all sorts of strife at the close – with 13 Knights wickets eventually sent tumbling on the second day in Johannesburg.

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