Codi Yusuf bagged his sixth first-class four-wicket haul as the DP World Lions finished the fourth day well and truly on top in their CSA 4-Day Series final encounter against the Momentum Multiply Titans at the DP World Wanderers on Sunday.
When bad light ended play early, the Titans were on 118-3, trailing the hosts by 172 runs with seven wickets in hand.
Day 4 | Stumps⚪️🟡
— DP World Lions (@LionsCricketSA) April 13, 2025
Bad light ends play for the day, as we find ourselves in the driving seat leading into the last day of the final.
🦁DP World Lions 413/7 (1st Innings - Declared)
🔷Titans 123/10 (1st Innings)
🔷Titans 118/3 (2nd Innings, follow-on)
Only 7 more wickets… pic.twitter.com/Dft6hOzWVW
The Lions made the best of the conditions, romping to 413-7d, after choosing to bat first.
The Titans responded with a modest 123 runs.
Dominic Hendricks, the Lions captain, sensed an opportunity to get an early result and enforced the follow-on.
The Titans had Keegan Petersen (50*) and Lhuan-dre Pretorius (6*) at the crease at the end of play.
The Titans collapsed in a heap, losing four wickets for 20 runs, as Codi Yusuf ran through their lower-order batters to ensure that the Lions carried a 290-run lead into the third innings.
The Knysna-born pacer came into the encounter with two four-wicket hauls and a single five-wicket haul from this season's campaign.
One of the four-wicket hauls came against the Titans in their season opener.
Yusuf took the last wicket before the lunch interval and emerged on the other side with a hot hand.
The 27-year-old accounted for Dayyaan Galiem's wicket in his first over after lunch.
Yusuf wrapped up proceedings with two wickets in three balls three overs later with the dismissals of Janco Smit and Tshepo Ndwandwa.
This is his sixth first-class four-wicket haul. Yusuf finished the innings with four wickets for 46 runs in 16 overs.
The Titans fared a little better in their second innings compared to their first-innings outing.
They were five runs shy of their first innings total with seven wickets in hand at stumps.
PETERSEN THE LONE WARRIOR FOR TITANS
However, as with the first innings, Keegan Petersen was a lone warrior for the Titans.
Earlier in the day, the 31-year-old worked his way to a 42nd first-class half-century in 83 deliveries.
He was dismissed for a well-played 50 off 87 balls.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius offered some additional resistance with his unbeaten 30 off 53 deliveries.
The rest of their batters perished for single-digit scores.
Petersen carried his earlier form into his second innings.
The 31-year-old did his best to keep the Titans in the contest with another half-century in the match.
His 43rd half-ton took a little longer. He faced 97 balls to reach the landmark.
HALF-CENTURY: @keegan_petersen raises his bat for a second fifty today.#4DaySeriesFinal pic.twitter.com/S99DTF7sfA
— Momentum Multiply Titans (@Titans_Cricket) April 13, 2025
Joshua van Heerden and Dewald Brevis got starts, but failed to kick on as they fell for 24 and 26 runs respectively.
The difference between the two sides has been their bowling attacks.
The Lions have operated in good areas more often than not.
Sipamla was rewarded for doing so with two wickets for 22 runs in five overs in the third innings.
Bjorn Fortuin was the other wicket-taker with a single wicket for 45 runs in 13.4 overs.
LIONS: Joshua Richards, Dominic Hendricks (capt), Zubayr Hamza, Mitch van Buuren, Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Wandile Makwetu, Delano Poitgieter, Bjorn Fortuin, Codi Yusuf, Tshepo Moreki, Lutho Sipamla.
TITANS: Neil Brand (capt), Joshua van Heerden, Keegan Petersen, Dewald Brevis, Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dayyaan Galiem, Junior Dala, Janco Smit, Tshepo Ndwandwa.