The DP World Lions were well on top of World Sports Betting Western Province at stumps on day two, after reducing the visitors to 174 for eight in their first innings at DP World Wanderers in Johannesburg on Friday.
They trail the Lions' first innings score of 403 for six declared by 229 runs and will be in danger of having to follow on if they lose their last two wickets cheaply on the third morning.
Onke Nyaku (25*) and Mthiwekhaya Nabe (8*) will be desperate to avoid that when they resume their side's innings, while Codi Yusuf, 4-63, will be hunting a five-wicket haul.
Western Province started the final session in trouble on 83 for four, which became 85 for five and 95 for six as Yusuf had Bongi Mfunelwa caught behind by keeper Connor Esterhuizen, and Tshepo Moreki had Mihlali Mpongwana (9) fending to the keeper to put them in all sorts of trouble.
But George Linde (46) and Nyaku briefly stemmed the flow of wickets with a 40-run seventh-wicket partnership, before Linde was bowled by Yusuf.
Kyle Simmonds (15) tried to help Nyaku to the close, but was then the last wicket of the day, caught by Khaya Fakude off Yusuf, leaving them on 159 for eight.
SURPRISE DECLARATION
Earlier the Lions surprisingly declared at lunch, with captain Dominic Hendricks unbeaten at the crease on 161, along with Bjorn Fortuin who had struck three sixes and a boundary in a brisk 38 off 34 balls, but some poor weather predicted for the weekend may have influenced their decision.
The start of the second session was delayed by 40 minutes due to lightning, but once back on, Western Province got off to a decent enough start as Jonathan Bird (15) and Eddie Moore (28) shared in a 40-run stand for the first wicket.
However, the dismissal of Bird, caught by Lutho Siplamla off the bowling of Moreki, started a slide that saw four wickets fall for just 20 runs.
Yaseen Vallie (12) was run out by Fortuin, Daniel Smith was trapped LBW by Sipamla, and Moore edged Yusuf to keeper Esterhuizen, as Province slipped to 60 for four before Mfunelwa and Linde took them to tea.
The morning session belonged completely to Hendricks, as he converted the hundred he brought up late on day one into a big century that Put the Lions well on top at lunch
At the start of play they resumed on 268 for three, with Hendricks and Fakude (17) sharing in a 50-run fourth wicket partnership, before Fakude was the first to fall, caught by Moore off the bowling of Nyaku with the score 293 for four.
Esterhuizen, 21 off 25, came in and showed some impetus, striking four boundaries, but was then caught by Mpongwana off the bowling of Nabe, leaving the Lions on 324 for five.
Delano Potgieter (5) didn’t offer much before spinner Simmonds had him caught by Jody Lawrence, and at 353 for six, Hendricks was starting to run out of batting partners.
But Fortuin came in with some counter-attacking flair to help Hendricks get them over the 400-run mark and to lunch without further trouble.
DP WORLD LIONS: Joshua Richards, Dominic Hendricks (capt), Muhammad Manack, Zubayr Hamza, Khaya Fakude, Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Delano Potgieter, Bjorn Fortuin, Codi Yusuf, Tshepo Moreki, Lutho Sipamla
WORLD SPORTS BETTING WESTERN PROVINCE: Edward Moore, Jonothan Bird, Yaseen Vallie, Daniel Smith (wk), Bongi Mfunelwa, George Linde (capt), Mihlali Mpongwana, Onke Nyaku, Kyle Simmonds, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Jody Lawrence