DAY 1: Lions and Titans finely poised after day one of 4-day clash

The DP World Lions and Momentum Multiply Titans were finally poised after day one of their CSA 4-Day series clash with the hosts on 257/7 at the close of play at DP World Wanderers on Tuesday.

The first two sessions belonged to the Lions as they reached tea well placed on 165/2, but the final session belonged to the Titans as they picked up five wickets to stop the hosts from setting themselves up for a big first innings total.

For the Lions Zubayr Hamza looked in great form as he top scored on the day with 84 off 136 balls, and captain Dominic Hendricks managed 67 off 170 balls (10x4), while Corbin Bosch was the pick of the Titans bowlers claiming 4/37 in an impressive 21 overs.

Connor Esterhuizen (39no) will play a big part on day two in trying to get his side over the 300-run mark and he will hope to get assistance from Codi Yusuf (3no) when they resume in the morning.

Earlier in the post tea session the Lions could only add eight runs to their total before their third wicket fell, followed by two quick wickets six overs later as the Titans began their fightback.

Mitchell van Buuren, who had struggled for 33 balls and scored just three, tried to hit spinner Tsepo Ndwandwa back over his head, but flat batted the ball straight back to him, leaving them on 173/3.

New man Khaya Fakude (13) and Hamza then fell within three balls, Fakuda caught by Dewald Brevis off the bowling of Bosch, followed by Hamza trapped in front LBW by a jubilant Andile Phehlukwayo as the Lions slipped to 194/5.

Esterhuizen and Delano Potgieter (13) then steadied things with a 49-run sixth wicket partnership as they tried to get their side to the close.

However Potgieter fell, trying to pull his bat back from a ball from that held it’s line, with him withdrawing too late as he feathered an edge to wicketkeeper Rivaldo Moonsamy, and new batter Bjorn Fortuin was bowled for a 14-ball duck, both by Bosch, as they tumbled to 251/7.

Esterhuizen and Yusuf then survived the last few overs before bad light saw the umpires call play for the day.

After lunch the Lions enjoyed another solid session, as they resumed on 86/1, with them only losing Hendicks before tea.

They moved past the hundred run mark, before Hendricks brought up his half century, and with him playing the anchor role, Hamza caught up fast before reaching his fifty

Hendricks then finally slipped up, trying to hit Ndwandwa over mid-on but only found fielder Joshua van Heerden on the circle, to end a strong second wicket stand of 118-runs, leaving them on 155/2, before Hamza and Van Buuren eased them to tea.

At the start of play the Lions enjoyed a steady start to their first innings, after they won the toss and chose to bat first.

Openers Hendricks and Joshua Richards (16) combined for a 37-run opening stand, with Hendricks initially the aggressor, hitting a few early boundaries, but Richards eventually started to open up after a slow start to his innings.

A good tight spell of bowling from Bosch and Dayyaan Galiem then led to the first wicket, as Bosch worked the short ball well, eventually having Richards fending a ball at his chest down the leg side to be caught by wicketkeeper Rivaldo Moonsamy.

That brought Hamza to the crease and he took on the main scoring role as Hendricks remained bogged down for a spell.

Both batters then picked up the scoring rate slightly, looking untroubled and in good nick as they headed into the lunch break in a decent position.

DP WORLD LIONS: Dominic Hendricks (capt), Joshua Richards, Zubayr Hamza, Mitchell van Buuren, Khaya Fakuda, Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Delano Potgieter, Bjorn Fortuin, Codi Yusuf, Tshepo Moreki, Lutho Sipamla

MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Neil Brand (capt), Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Keegan Petersen, Dewald Brevis, Josh van Heerden, Jhedli van Briesies, Dayyaan Galiem, Andile Phehlukwayo, Corbin Bosch, Merrick Brett, Tsepo Ndwandwa