Western Province took control of a tense Cricket SA 4-Day clash against the Titans at Newlands on Friday.
Province’s seam bowlers initially provided the impetus with a clinical display to dismiss the visitors for only 259, courtesy of a four-wicket haul from Mthiwekhaya Nabe (4/37) and three wickets apiece for left-arm duo Nandre Burger (3/36) and Beuran Hendricks (3/47).
Nabe was certainly the pick of the Province bowlers and the right-arm seamer will certainly cherish the prized wicket of Dewald Brevis for a duck.
The Titans were deep in the quagmire at 147/6 with Dean Elgar (38) and Joshua van Heerden (34) both failing to capitalise on promising starts.
The visitors required a fighting half-century from captain Sibonelo Makhanya along with contributions lower down the order from all-rounder Ayabulela Gqamane (54), wicket-keeper Rivaldo Moonsamy (40) and Merrick Brett (27) to help keep the deficit down to 91 runs.
Province maintained the momentum when they came out to bat, despite losing first innings centurion Eddie Moore (2) early on.
Young and old combined perfectly with Daniel Smith (46 not out off 56 balls) and Yaseen Vallie (41 not out off 53 balls) keeping the pressure on the Titans bowlers as Province went to stumps on 98/1, thereby extending the overall lead to 189 runs with nine wickets remaining.
Meanwhile in Potchefstroom, the AET Tuskers provided a solid response to North West’s 431 all out with the visitors closing the second day on 333/4.
Englishman Ben Compton showed his class for the Tuskers with a superb 170 (266 balls, 17x4) that formed the mainstay of Ahmed Amla’s team reply. Migael Pretorius (4/68) was the sole Dragons bowler who tasted success with the seamer claiming all four Tuskers wickets to fall.
In Paarl, the Dolphins also posted a massive 475/7 declared with Jason Smith continuing his rich vein of form with another superb 147 (258 balls, 15x4, 1x6). There was also runs for Slade van Staden (47) and Proteas all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo (50) on a placid Boland Park batting surface.
The hosts, however, did not find the batting so simple though as they limped to close on 127/3 with both Malan brothers (Janneman and Pieter) along with Stiaan van Zyl already back in the hut.
The Lions’ batting woes resurfaced at St George’s Park with Warriors seamer Renaldo Meyer running through the visitors with figures of 5/41. He was ably supported by left-arm spinner Siya Simetu (3/6) as the Lions folded for just 108.
The Warriors asserted their ascendancy by moving to 80/4 at stumps to extend the overall lead to 374 runs with two days remaining.
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