Seamer Matthew Boast claimed 5-35 to put the EP Warriors in a commanding position on day two of the 4-Day Series final against the Central Gauteng Lions.
Boast’s superb spell helped reduce the Lions to 193-7 at stumps at the Wanderers, still trailing the Warriors’ first-innings total by 112 runs.
Resuming on 292-8, the Warriors were eager to push past the 300 mark and managed to do so before being bowled out for 305. Wesley Bedja added just two runs to his overnight score before falling for 17 (30 balls), Codi Yusuf’s second wicket of the innings.
JP King was last man out for a well-compiled 123 (230 balls), with Wiaan Mulder finishing with 3-48.
DAY 1 REPORT: Hermann, King strike centuries for Warriors
The Warriors struck early with the ball when Boast removed Lions captain Dominic Hendricks for four. Zubayr Hamza followed for six (32 balls), dismissed by Patrick Kruger, as the hosts slipped to 37-2.
Boast then took control. He trapped Richard Seletswane lbw for 32 to leave the Lions 50-3, and two runs later had Wandile Makwetu caught by Jordan Hermann for seven.
A 50-run stand between Mulder and Connor Esterhuizen offered resistance, but Boast returned to dismiss Esterhuizen for 15, claiming his fourth wicket with the Lions on 102-5.
Mulder continued to fight, bringing up a crucial half-century before he was caught by wicketkeeper Sinethemba Qeshile off Gideon Peters for 57. At that stage the Lions were still 162 runs behind with four wickets in hand.
Bjorn Fortuin and Delano Potgieter added 27 in an attempt to steady the innings, but Fortuin fell for 14 (42 balls), becoming Boast’s fifth victim.
Potgieter held firm to close the day unbeaten on 40, with Yusuf 11* as the Lions faced an uphill task heading into day three.
Photo: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
