Hardus Viljoen ensured that the Renault Potchefstroom North West Dragons had the advantage at stumps on the second day of their CSA 4-Day Series match against the Momentum Multiply Titans at SuperSport Park on Friday.
The Titans were on 87-2 at the close of play.
The Dragons won the toss, elected to bat first and reached 345 courtesy of a trio of half-centuries from Matthew Kleinveldt, Wihan Lubbe and Bamanye Xenxe.
The hosts trail the Dragons by 258 runs with eight wickets in hand.
They had Keegan Petersen (42*) and Dewald Brevis (38*) at the crease.
Viljoen made his presence felt early. The Dragons roped 36-year-old into their setup this week and the move has reaped dividends.
The medium-pacer castled Brayden Hicks for a first-ball duck. He made life even more difficult for the hosts when he accounted for Merrick Brett at the end of the second over he bowled.
The Titans found themselves marooned on 5-2 after three overs.
Their openers were back in the hutch and they needed a substantial partnership to help them rebuild.
Petersen and Brevis did just that with an 82-run unbroken third-wicket partnership that guided them to stumps without further damage.
Petersen was the foil to Brevis's fluent stroke-making.
The 31-year-old had scored 42 off 67 balls while Brevis was going at a run-a-ball for his 38.
KOKOHLABANA, LUBBE AND XENXE SHINE
Earlier in the day, Wihan Lubbe was dismissed for 84 from 112 deliveries by Lesego Kokohlabana.
This is the left-hander's 16th first-class half-century and his fourth of the season.
It is the third one that is in the 80s. He was the Dragons' second player to reach a half-century in the innings.
Lubbe's dismissal was the first of three wickets in a collapse instigated by Kokohlabana.
It was also the pacer's maiden first-class wicket. The Dragons lost Lubbe, Rubin Hermann, and Ruan de Swardt in six deliveries.
The visitors didn't add a single run to the total in that period. Kokohlabana took two of the three wickets that fell.
However, Bamanye Xenxe mounted a fierce fightback with the bat for the Dragons.
The 27-year-old struck six fours and two sixes on his way to a second first-class half-century.
He faced a mere 47 deliveries to reach the milestone. He was dismissed for 51 off 49 balls.
Junior Dala was the pick of the bowlers for the Titans. He finished with three wickets for 55 runs in 20.1 overs.
He was the only Titans bowler with an economy below three runs an over when compared to bowlers who delivered five or more overs.
Kokohlabana registered his new career-best bowling figures with three wickets for 66 runs in 14 overs.
TITANS: Brayden Hicks, Neil Brand (capt), Keegan Petersen, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Andile Phehlukwayo, Matthew Boast, Junior Dala, Merrick Brett, Lesego Kokohlabana.
DRAGONS: Matthew Kleinveldt, Lesiba Ngoepe, Raynard van Tonder, Wihan Lubbe (capt), Meeka-eel Prince, Ruan de Swardt, Rubin Hermann (wk), Bamanye Xenxe, Lutendo Tsanwani, Odirile Modimokoane, Hardus Viljoen.