A Renaldo Meyer five-wicket haul kept the Dafabet Warriors' foot firmly on the throats of the DP World Lions as they went to tea on 108 all out on day two of the CSA 4 Day Series clash at St George’s Park on Friday.
Meyer grabbed four wickets after lunch to finish the innings with figures of 5/41 from 12 overs, including four maidens, as Siya Simetu claimed 3/6 from nine overs, including five maidens, and Beyers Swanepoel took 2/21from 13 overs, as the hosts tightened their grip on the match in blustery conditions in Gqeberha with the Lions 294 runs behind.
Returning from the break on 22/2, the Lions would have hoped to baton down the hatches in pursuit of the Warriors' huge first innings total.
However, it was not to be as Meyer, adding to his wicket from the morning session, sent Connor Esterhuizen back to the dugout with a near-perfect delivery that jagged back to clip the off stump, with the right-hander departing for just five runs.
Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder combined to share 53 runs for the fourth wicket, before the wicketkeeper-batsman misstimed a delivery by Siya Simetu and was caught by Meyer for a sturdy 41 off 59, including six boundaries.
Beyers Swanepoel, who also took a wicket in the final half hour of the morning, picked up his second scalp when he trapped Mulder in front for 22.
Meyer then unleashed on the Lions' lower order, trapping Wandile Makwetu for six runs, before cleaning up the stumps of both Bjorn Fortuin (4) and Malusi Siboto (2).
Simetu claimed the final two wickets with the dismissal of Mitchell van Buuren for four runs and Cody Yusuf for 14.
Earlier, the Warriors resumed the second day on 341/7, with Swanepoel (16) and Meyer (9), the pair adding 89 for hte eighth wicket before Meyer departed for 20 off Mulder.
Swanepoel, who clubbed 10 boundaries and a six, fell for 61 to Fortuin, before Alfred Mothoa (4) was cleaned up by Kwena Maphaka as the Warriors reached 402. ‘
Mulder finished with 3/71 from 23 overs, while Maphaka, Cody Yusuf, and Siboto claimed two wickets a piece.
DAFABET WARRIORS: Jordan Hermann, Jiveshan Pillay, Matthew Breetzke (c), Tristan Stubbs, Rudi Second, Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), Patrick Kruger, Beyers Swanepoel, Renaldo Meyer, Siya Simetu, Alfred Mothoa.
DP WORLD LIONS: Joshua Richards, Dominic Hendricks (c), Connor Estherhuizen, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Mitchell van Buuren, Wandile Makwetu, Born Fortuin, Malusi Siboto, Codi Yusuf, Kwena Maphaka