The Lions set the pace as Cobras and Knights struggle on day two of the latest Sunfoil Series matches
Benoni: Lions v Titans
The Highveld Lions once again showed their pack mentality as they produced another challenging target of more than 400 runs; this time posting 485-7 declared against the Titans.
While the top four combined to the tune of 297, led by a second successive century from Stephen Cook (122), it was the power in the rump which broke the Titans’ hopes. Dale Deeb, better known as a left-arm spinner, came up with another superb innings of 89, batting at No 8, bringing to 144 the runs scored in his two knocks in two games. Against the Cobras last week he scored 55.
He and Dwaine Pretorius (67) put on 167 for the seventh wicket after Juan de Villiers had smashed the middle order, taking three wickets. The Lions fell from 311-2 to 313-6, when Cook was caught behind off Rowan Richards.
The Titans must have been buoyant at that stage. Up come Deeb and Pretorius. It was a measured performance by Deeb, too: he faced 146 balls, striking just seven fours and six.
At the-close the Titans were 27-0.
Port Elizabeth: Warriors v Cobras
The Cobras were doing their best to blow their chances against the Warriors on day two after a long and frustrating delay for rain. Having done well to bowl out the hosts for 203 on day one, the Cobras struggled to 137-7 at the close. Only 43.4 overs were bowled, and the shower certainly disrupted the flow.
Richard Levi (4) and Omphile Ramela (5) resumed with the score on 11 overnight and took the total to 25 before the rain came. Five balls after play resumed, Levi (25) was sent back by Andrew Birch, who then snapped up Keegan Petersen (0) four balls later, both batsmen nicking to the slips. The Warriors democratically shared the wickets as only Ramela stood firm, if fortunate with two dropped chances, scoring 45 before he too edged Basheeru-Deen Walters into the slips to bring the day’s play to an end.
Kimberley: Knights v Dolphins
Cody Chetty hit an unbeaten 101 to guide the Dolphins to a challenging total of 452, and the bowlers took their cue to reduce the Knights to 128-4 on day two .
Imraan Khan (127) and Divan van Wyk (57) had laid the foundation with an opening stand of 168 on the first day, but at 225-4 the position was less than secure. Chetty and Khaya Zondo (51) crushed any thoughts of a breakthrough when they put on 97 for the fifth wicket, and the lower order played their part in supporting Chetty, whose fifth first-class hundred came off 203 balls, with nine fours and a six.
Off-spinner Patrick Botha claimed career-best figures of 7 for 89 in 28.5 overs.
The Dolphins young and largely inexperienced attack (they have an average age of less than 23) then combined to reduce the Knights to 128 for four in reply, trailing by 324 runs and in need of a big knock on day three.
