Migael Pretorius and Bamanye Xenxe batted the North West Dragons into a position of strength on day two of their CSA 4-day Challenge match against the Gbets Rocks at Eurolux Boland Park, Paarl, on Thursday.
At stumps, the hosts were on 127 for five in reply to the Dragons' first-innings total of 484.
The Rocks trail the Dragons by 357 runs with five wickets in hand. They had Michael Copeland (25 off 53) and Shaun von Berg (1 from 6) at the crease.
Pretorius led the charge with an outstanding 93 from 128 to build on the platform laid by Lesego Senokwane (137) and Lesiba Ngoepe (84) on day one.
The allrounder played a fluent innings that featured 12 fours. He lost his overnight partner from day one, barely 30 minutes into the day, but found help in an unlikely source, Bamanye Xenxe.
Xenxe is better renown as a bowler than his batting skills. Coming into this match, he averaged 13.42 with the bat and boasted a career-best of 39 not out.
The 26-year-old carved seven fours on his way to an unbeaten 67 off 117. Xenxe's partnership with Pretorius added 113 and swept the game further from the reach of the Rocks.
Later in the day, Xenxe gave his side the perfect start to their bowling innings, dismissing Pieter Malan early into his knock.
With the Rocks' captain gone, the hosts had to rebuild through Janneman Malan and Stiaan van Zyl.
That partnership added 44 runs before it collapsed and things steadily went downhill from there.
The Rocks' top four batters reached double figures but none reached 30 runs.
Caleb Seleka played a big part in this. The 21-year-old spinner took two wickets for 25 runs in 12 overs to help his side keep things in check.
Three pacers, Xenxe, Gideon Peters and Duan Jansen took a wicket each.
ROCKS: Janneman Malan, Pieter Malan (c), Stiaan van Zyl, Aviwe Mgijima, Michael Copeland, Nathan Engelbrecht, Shaun von Berg, Hardus Viljoen, Glenton Stuurman, Siyabonga Mahima, Jevano Baron.
DRAGONS: Lesego Senokwane, Grant Mokoena, Lesiba Ngoepe, Rubin Hermann, Migael Pretorius, Tahir Isaacs, Duan Jansen, Bamanye Xenxe, Caleb Seleka, Gideon Peters.
LIONS TAKE CONTROL OF GAME ON DAY TWO
Joshua Richards's ton and a brace of 50s by Wiaan Mulder and Mitchell van Buuren tilted the contest in the DP World Lions' favour as they locked horns with the Multiply Titans in a CSA 4-day Challenge match at SuperSport Park in Centurion.
The trio of milestones buoyed the visitors to a first-innings total of 293 in reply to the Titans' 227.
At stumps, the Titans were struggling on 35 for two. They trail the Lions by 31 runs with eight wickets in hand.
Joshua van Heerden (14 off 38) and Dewald Brevis (9 off 20) will pick up proceedings on day three.
Joshua Richards reaped the rewards of discipline and application by registering his 11th first-class century.
The 25-year-old faced 201 runs for his 107, which featured 15 fours and two sixes.
🦁 First Class hundred number 11 for our Number 1 ⚡️
— DP World Lions (@LionsCricketSA) February 22, 2024
Class innings, Josh! 👊#LionsCricket #ThePrideOfJozi pic.twitter.com/ADvCv2Jxub
The opener was at the crease when the Lions equaled and then passed the Titans' first-innings total. He was in the company of Mitchell van Buuren.
The pair joined forces with the visitors on 146 for six. At the time, the Lions had rescued their innings with an enterprising 95-run partnership between Richards and Wiaan Mulder (55).
Mulder had arrived at the crease with the visitors floundering on 51 for three. It was during this partnership that Mulder reached his 12th first-class half-ton.
After Mulder's dismissal, Richards and his new partner, Mitchell van Buuren kept up the momentum with an 83-run fifth-wicket stand.
Like Mulder, Van Buuren creamed nine fours in his innings. He finished the day with 58 runs off 137 balls.
Junior Dala fought a lone battle with the ball as the Lions took the game away from the Titans.
The 34-year-old pacer got a just-reward for his effort by bagging his seventh first-class five-wicket haul.
He took six wickets for 58 runs in 17.3 overs, four of which were maidens.
When the Titans emerged for their second innings, they immediately found themselves in familiar territory.
They lost an early wicket, as they did in the first innings. In six overs, they had lost two batters and were faced with the uphill battle of rebuilding to stay in the contest.
STUMPS: Day 2 comes to close with Sky Blues on 35-2. Trailing by 31 runs with 8 wickets in hand.
— Momentum Multiply Titans (@Titans_Cricket) February 22, 2024
Joshua van Heerden (14*) and Dewald Brevis (9*) will resume on the 3rd day.#4DaySeries pic.twitter.com/WGwCm78bR2
TITANS: Sibonelo Makhanya (c), Matthew Kleinveldt, Joshua van Heerden, Musa Twala, Dewald Brevis, Donovan Ferreira, Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Corbin Bosch, Dayyaan Galiem, Junior Dala, Jack Lees.
LIONS: Joshua Richards, Dominic Hendricks (c), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Wandile Makwetu, Marco van Biljon, Mitchell van Buuren, Wiaan Mulder, Delano Potgieter, Malusi Siboto, Lutho Sipamla, Codi Yusuf.
