Second's double puts Knights on top
by Jason Pearce 12 January 2013, 17:54
Chevrolet Knights 'keeper Rudi Second hammered a brilliant 210 before the opening bowlers took three wickets without a run being scored as the Nashua Titans limped to 24 for three at the close of play on day three of their Sunfoil Series clash at Sahara Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Saturday.
The Titans are still 116 runs behind with seven second innings wickets intact.
In a remarkable day of cricket, what started with the visitors on a precarious 190 for seven overnight, still 145 runs adrift of the Titans' 335, ended with the boot firmly on the other foot, and positioned somewhere in the throat region.
A near-record eighth-wicket partnership of 253 between double-centurion Second and opening bowler Dillon du Preez had the Titans going wicketless for 73 overs and four balls before Du Preez was finally out, caught by Henry Davids off the bowling of Shaun von Berg for a memorable 118 runs off 211balls with 15 fours and two sixes.
The partnership fell just four runs short of the SA first-class record for the eighth wicket of 257, currently held by Dane Vilas and Robin Peterson.
A nervous six overs followed as the departure of Malusi Siboto for 2 meant that Quinton Friend faced the bulk of the bowling in a 29-run 10th wicket partnership before Second finally brought up the magical 200 in the 149th over, facing 420 balls and striking19 fours and one six along the way.
The Knights' innings ended on 475, when Second was caught by Roelof van der Merwe off the bowling of von Berg for a marathon 210, with 21 fours and one six.
Von Berg picked up four for 117 off 40.4 toiling overs while CJ de Villiers was the pick, returning figures of four for 73 off 21 overs.
High drama was to follow, as an inspired Knights attack ruthlessly went to work.
Mangaliso Mosehle was first to go, LBW to Van der Wath for a duck, before Du Preez was in the headlines again, bowling both Piet Malan and Farhaan Behardien with consecutive deliveries to leave the Titans on the scarcely believable nought for three after six overs.
Heino Kuhn, not out on 15 and skipper Henry Davids, not out on 7, will resume in the morning with the home side's back firmly against the wall.
Report Day 1
Report Day 2
NASHUA TITANS: Pieter Malan, Mangaliso Mosehle, Henry Davids (capt), Roelof van der Merwe, Heino Kuhn (wk), Ethy Mbhalati, Farhaan Behardien, Graeme van Buuren, Juan de Villiers, Shaun von Berg, CJ de Villiers
CHEVROLET KNIGHTS: Gihahn Cloete, Michael Erlank, Rudi Second (wk), Rilee Rossouw, Ryan Bailey, Obus Pienaar, Pat Botha, Johan van der Wath (capt), Dillon du Preez, Quinton Friend, Malusi Siboto
