Thrilling finish in prospect

The Imperial Lions and the WSB Cape Cobras face the tightest of finishes to their 4-Day Franchise Series match at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom on Wednesday with the visitors still needing 15 runs to clinch victory with one wicket in hand.

The teams have played the match on a dustbowl which greatly assisted the spinners, so it is not surprising that the game has only just crept into the third day with batsmen struggling throughout.

The match has been in fast-forward mode throughout with 18 wickets falling on the first day and another 21 on the second on a surface that surprisingly has no grass on it despite this being the first franchise match of the season.

That the Cobras reached 129 in their first innings – after resuming on their overnight total of 106 for eight – was largely due to a gritty unbeaten 68 by Jason Smith who struck six fours in his 151-ball innings.

But the Lions found matters just as difficult in their second knock with left-arm spinner George Linde grabbing 7-64 – and 11 wickets in the match.

With offspinner Matthew Kleinveldt chipping in with 2-29, nine of the Lions' 10 wickets had fallen to spin.

Only Dwaine Pretorius, who struck an aggressive 41 (seven fours) in 37 balls, enabled the Lions to reach double figures.

Despite their success with the ball, the Cobras still needed an intimidating (in the circumstances) 206 for victory on a pitch that was hugely difficult to bat on.

Left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin struck first for the Lions, trapping Pieter Malan leg before (17 for one), before his spin twin, Aaron Phangiso had Simon Khomari caught by Dominic Hendricks.

Shortly before tea, opener Janneman Malan was leg before to Malusi Siboto for 26.

The Cobras continued to battle manfully, however, with their lower-middle order showing great determination, led by wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne who struck 50 in 64 balls, including seven fours.

After Verreynne's dismissal, the unlikely pairing of Aviwe Mgijima (23*) and Nandre Burger added an invaluable 41 for the eighth wicket before Aaron Phangiso and Bjorn Fortuin captured the eighth and ninth wickets.

On Wednesday morning, Mgijima and his last partner, Tladi Bokako, will have the task of knocking off the runs while the Lions need just the one wicket.

Although spinners have taken 28 wickets of the 39 to fall, it was a seamer, Siboto, who inflicted the most damage in the Cobras' second innings, finishing the day with the remarkable figures of 12-5-15-4.

Report Day 1

IMPERIAL LIONS: Ryan Rickelton, Dominic Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Kagiso Rapulana, Wihan Lubbe, Nicky van den Bergh (capt & wk), Dwaine Pretorius, Bjorn Fortuin, Aaron Phangiso, Malusi Siboto, Beuran Hendricks

WSB CAPE COBRAS: Pieter Malan (capt), Aviwe Mgijima, Dane Paterson, Tladi Bokako, George Linde, Janneman Malan, Jason Smith, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Matthew Kleinveldt, Nandre Burger, Simon Khomari

BEHARDIEN HITS TON BUT DOLPHINS FIGHT BACK

Farhaan Behardien struck his 10th first-class hundred as the Multiply Titans posted a formidable 441 in their first innings on the second day of their 4-Day Franchise match against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins at SuperSport Park in Centurion.

The Dolphins fought back well, however, reaching 188 for three in reply at the close thanks to an aggressive 69 in 62 balls by Marques Ackerman and a gritty 79 in 166 balls by opener and wicketkeeper Grant Roelofsen.

After opener Vaughn van Jaarsveld was run out for 13, Roelofsen and Ackerman added 119 for the second wicket with Ackerman slamming nine fours and two sixes in his innings. Roelofsen, who was dismissed shortly before the close, struck 13 fours.

Cody Chetty and nightwatchman Subrayen were at the crease at the close with the Dolphins still trailing the home team by 253 runs.

Resuming on their overnight total of 291 for five, in which Neil Brand had also contributed a century, the Titans began slowly but soon upped the ante as the Dolphins' bowlers – with the exception of Eathan Bosch who took 1-54 in 29 overs of highly disciplined pace bowling – struggled to contain the batsmen on an excellent pitch for batting.

Behardien, who struck 15 fours and a six in his innings, added 109 for the sixth wicket with Dayyaan Galiem (44).

The most successful bowler for the Dolphins was Prenelan Subrayen who finished with 3-97 while Ohuhle Cele, Daryn Dupavillon and Andile Phehlukwayo collected two each.

MULTIPLY TITANS: Andrea Agathangelou, Tony de Zorzi, Neil Brand, Grant Thomson (capt & wk), Farhaan Behardien, Henry Davids, Dayyaan Galiem, Rubin Herman, Junior Dala, Tshepo Moreki, Marcello Piedt

HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS: Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Grant Roelofsen (wk), Marques Ackerman, Cody Chetty, Khaya Zondo (capt), Sibs Makhanya, Eathan Bosch, Okuhle Cele, Daryn Dupavillon, Andile Phehlukwayo, Prenelan Subrayen

KNIGHTS TAKE CONTROL

The VKB Knights reached 31/1 in their second innings at the close of the second day of their 4-Day Franchise Series match against the Warriors at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley.

The home team finished in a strong position with an overall lead of 134, having taken a first-innings lead of 103 over their opponents earlier in the day.

Resuming on their overnight total of 292/7, the Knights lost their last three wickets for seven runs with Warriors’ skipper Jon-Jon Smuts taking 5/56, the left-arm spinner’s second five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.

Given that the Knights went into lunch on the first day on 110 without loss, the Warriors would have felt pleased by their fightback.

The glow would not have lasted long, however, as the Warriors struggled throughout their innings, with only Sinethemba Qeshile’s 73 in 111 balls really holding up the home team. Qeshile, who struck 10 fours in his innings, was easily the highest scorer with tailender Jade de Klerk next best with an unbeaten 29.

Burly legspinner Shaun von Berg was the most successful bowler for the Knights, taking 4/78, while left-arm quick Mbulelo Budaza also made a valuable contribution with 3/28.

Batting again, the Knights lost Raynard van Tonder to a delivery by Andrew Birch, but Grant Mokoena (12) and Keegan Petersen (10) survived to the close.

VKB KNIGHTS: Grant Mokoena, Raynard van Tonder, Keegan Petersen, Pite van Biljon (capt), Patrick Kruger, Shaun von Berg, Gerald Coetzee, Marco Jansen, Tshepo Ntuli, Mbulelo Budaza, Clyde Fortuin (wk)

WARRIORS: Matthew Breetzke, Andrew Birch, Jon-Jon Smuts (capt), Sinethemba Qeshile, Yaseen Vallie, Lutho Sipamla, Jade de Klerk, Glenton Stuurman, Edward Moore, Onke Nyaku, Rudi Second (wk)