The beleaguered Cobras were battling to stay in the game after the Dolphins ran up an imposing first innings of 478 at Boland Park.
Stand-in captain Justin Ontong, unbeaten on 66 and Keegan Petersen (45) stood defiant as the top order collapsed to 22-4, with Robbie Frylinck picking up three of those wickets. At the close, they were 132-4.
The Cobras’ uplifting early session on day one, when Dane Paterson took three wickets to have the visitors floundering at 115-5, seemed very far away after Morne van Wyk picked up where Khaya Zondo left off, to anchor the innings.
Zondo, on 139 overnight, added just 18 when he fell victim to Jason Smith’s medium pace, but he and Van Wyk had shared a stand of 101 to help ease the pressure.
Van Wyk then dug in with determination and ground his way to 79 before being bowled by Paterson, having faced 221 balls.
At 351-7 Frylinck was given some freedom and he ran up his eighth first-class fifty off 75 balls, which included just three fours and a lot of running.
An opening stand of 124 from Heino Kuhn and Aiden Markram laid the foundation for the Titans’ solid response to the Lions‘ first offering of 206 at Senwes Park. They ended the day on 327-6, led by Henry Davids’ excellent, unbeaten 101, which gives them a 121-run advantage.
Kuhn continues to press his credentials for higher honours with his 71 of 94 balls (10×4, 1×6) while Markram ought to be content with his third fifty-plus score in three innings, following his centuries against the Dolphins and the Cobras. His 53 was well-worked, coming off 115 balls (6×4).
But Davids played solidly, taking 218 balls, and striking 10 fours and a six.
The Warriors, meanwhile, took control of their contest against the Knights, ending the day with a lead of 179 with all wickets in hand after dismissing the Bloemfontein visitors for 179 in 59 overs.
The Warriors were able to add just 42 to their overnight 297-7, but in the process, the Knights’ medium pacer Shadley van Schalkwyk registered his best first-class figures in an innings, ending with seven for 82 off 31 overs. His previous best for a match had been 111-7.
The Knights responded well at the start, driving on to 144-3 in 40 overs, to which Michael Erlank had contributed 59.
But then came the collapse, with the 22-year-old quick Anrich Norje finding his rhythm, He dismissed the dangerous David Miller for 55 off 83 balls (10×4) on his way to a haul of 6-44.
The Warriors closed day two on 19-0.
Photo: Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
