Charging Knights frustrated by Harris
Obus Pienaar guided the Chevrolet Knights to 133 for four at stumps, an overall lead of 288 runs, in their Sunfoil Series match at the De Beers Diamond Oval in Kimberley on Saturday after the pace bowlers Quinton Friend and Ryan McLaren ripped through the Nashua Titans' middle- and lower order to give the Knights a 155-run first-innings lead.
Pienaar, on 17, and Morné van Wyk, on six, will resume on Sunday.
The Titans resumed on 131 for three on Saturday, a first-innings deficit of 324 runs, and were dismissed for 300.
Friend captured 5-77 in 21 overs, and McLaren 5-57 in 25.4 overs to give the hosts a healthy 155-run first-innings lead.
The Knights did not enforce the follow-on, but decided to bat a second time.
Reeza Hendricks and Dean Elgar made a solid if unspectacular start to the second innings by compiling 96 runs for the opening wicket in 31.4 overs.
First price was to establish a platform, but they also went in pursuit of quick runs.
The slower bowlers denied them boundaries, and Paul Harris, in particular, frustrated them.
Harris kept the top-order at bay, but also struck three telling blows with superb control and guile.
The international discard proved that he was not a spent force, and finished the day on 3-42 in 20 overs.
He removed Elgar in his ninth over when the left-hander got a faint edge to a good-length delivery and was caught behind by Heino Kuhn for 44.
He faced 95 balls and scored two boundaries.
Hendricks became impatient when Harris piled on the pressure, and attempted a slog-sweep to the midwicket-boundary, only to top-edge it to cover, where he was caught by Henry Davids for 53.
He hit six fours in his 118 ball-stay, and his departure saw the Knights reduced to 105 for two.
Ethy Mbhalati sent Werner Coetsee back to the pavilion for just six when he attempted a cute late cut, and saw the ball hit his off-stump.
With his departure, the Knights slumped to 105 for three.
Ryan Bailey, the first-innings double centurion, was defeated by a shrewd arm ball from Harris, who trapped him in front for five.
Mbhalati took 1-28 in11 overs.
The Titans resumed on Saturday on 131 for three, with a first-innings deficit of 324 runs.
Friend’s double-strike during a fiery six-over spell in which he captured 2-12, had the Titans reeling on 147 for five.
He removed Henry Davids for 39 (caught at second slip) and induced a false shot from David Wiese, who chipped it to midwicket where he was scooped up by Pienaar.
Kuhn and Roelof van der Merwe rallied with a 108-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Their century-stand came off 144 balls in just 99 minutes.
Friend returned with the second new ball and bowled Van der Merwe for 54. CJ de Villiers edged the next ball to the wicketkeeper as Friend reduced them to 256 for seven.
Friend later also trapped Paul Harris in front for 15.
McLaren wrapped up the tail by dismissing Mbhalati (1) and Rowan Richards (0) in the space of three balls.
Kuhn finished undefeated on 78, off 150 balls, with eight fours.
Report Day 1
Report Day 2
CHEVROLET KNIGHTS: Morné van Wyk (capt), Dean Elgar, Reeza Hendricks, Obus Pienaar, Ryan Bailey, Werner Coetsee, Ryan McLaren, Aubrey Swanepoel, Malusi Siboto, Quinton Friend, Dillon du Preez.
NASHUA TITANS: Henry Davids (capt), Jacques Rudolph, Tumelo Bodibe, Pieter Malan, Heino Kuhn, David Wiese, Paul Harris, CJ de Villiers, Ethy Mbhalati, Rowan Richards, Roelof van der Merwe.
