Titans batsman Theunis de Bruyn showed his potential with another brilliant innings to put the England Lions under pressure after day two of the second unofficial Test in Bloemfontein on Monday.
The 22-year-old from Pretoria, who had scored a career-best unbeaten 202 against the Lions in Paarl last week, followed up with another 161, taking his tally of first-class runs past 1,000 in only 20 innings. He helped South Africa A to a score of 389-7 at stumps, a lead of 129.
De Bruyn shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 210 in 46 overs with Temba Bavuma, who made 102, to wrest the initiative away from the Lions after early wickets had reduced the home team to 29 for three.
They had resumed their innings on 29-1, but Gihahn Cloete (6) went early to Mark Wood, and Reeza Hendricks followed the next over after for 20, edging Boyd Rankin to the slips.
But after that, they were made to toil in the sun as Bavuma and De Bruyn counter-attacked, especially against the spin of Adam Riley and Adil Rashid.
It was the occasional medium-pace of James Vince which finally broke their stand immediately after Bavuma had reached a 160-ball century, as the tiny right-hander gloved an attempted pull to Alex Lees at slip.
Justin Ontong, who also played in the recent T20 series and came into this team as captain, joined De Bruyn to add a further 99 for the fifth wicket before Rankin induced a loose shot from De Bruyn, cutting at a wide one and edging to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow. His 161 came off 176 balls, with 26 fours and two sixes.
Ontong went for 54 and Chris Morris for 7, leaving Rudi Second (21) and Rory Kleinveldt (1) at the crease.
