Brett puts Titans on the front foot at lunch

Junior Dala and Merrick Brett ran through the Dafabet Warriors batting line-up to put the Multiply Titans in control in the morning session of the first day of their CSA 4-Day Series match at Dafabet St George's Park on Thursday. At lunch, the Warriors were on 104/6.

The Warriors won the toss and elected to bat first. They had Senuran Muthusamy (5*) and Beyers Swanepoel (7*) at the crease at the interval.

The home side made the best use of the conditions in the first hour and a half of play. Their openers had little trouble navigating the Titans' medium-pace battery's early attacks. They were cruising at run rates north of 75 as they faced Dayyaan Galiem, Sibonelo Makhanya and Merrick Brett. During that time, Jordan Hermann looked certain to register his fourth first-class half-century of the season.

Hermann has been in outstanding form this season, with three half-tons and two centuries to his name. The 23-year-old came into this match on the back of a century for an Invitational XI that played against the England Lions. However, Hermann's innings was cut short by Junior Dala.

The experienced pacer sent down eight deliveries before he gave the visitors a breakthrough. The 34-year-old clean-bowled Hermann. The opener fell for 39 off 47. Hermann had shared a 78-run opening partnership with Diego Rosier. This is the third time the Warriors had a partnership worth more than 50 runs this season.

Hermann's wicket was the first of a pre-lunch collapse that saw the Warriors lose six wickets for 11 runs in 7.5 overs. Hermann's wicket fell in the 16th over and Merrick Brett struck twice in the 19th over to dislodge Rosier and Matthew de Villiers. Dala grabbed his second in the 20th over, before Brett bagged his third in the 21st over. Dala took the Titans' sixth wicket in the 24th over. Three of the five batters Brett and Dala dismissed failed to get off the mark.

Junior Dala was the most successful bowler with three wickets for 10 runs in six overs. Merrick Brett also took three wickets but conceded 19 runs in eight overs.

WARRIORS: Jordan Hermann, Diego Rosier, Jean du Plessis, Matthew de Villiers, Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), Senuran Muthusamy (capt), Patrick Kruger, Beyers Swanepoel, Duanne Olivier, Alfred Mothoa, Siya Plaatjie.

TITANS: Neil Brand (capt), Joshua van Heerden, Keegan Petersen, Dewald Brevis, Sibz Makhanya, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Dayyaan Galiem, Merrick Brett, Junior Dala, Tsepo Ndwandwa.