DAY 3: Brand battling away as Titans reach lunch in trouble on day three

Momentum Multiply Titans captain Neil Brand was battling away, but his team were still in a spot of bother after they reached lunch on day three on 122/8 in their second innings against the Knights in their CSA 4-Day Series clash at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday.

Thanks to a first innings score of 307 and bowling out the Knights for 193 in their first innings, the Titans do have a lead of 236 runs, but that isn’t a comfortable target to defend and they will be desperate to add to it in the early afternoon session.

Much of that will depend on opener Brand, who is unbeaten on 58 off 137 balls, and he may need to up the ante with only the tail with him for support going forward.

In the morning the Titans resumed their second innings on 51/3, with them eager to get off to a solid start, but after adding just 17 runs to their overnight total they suffered a double blow in successive overs.

Jhedli van Briesies (17) became the first wicket of the day, caught behind by keeper Garnett Tarr off the bowling of Matthew Pollard, and Rivaldo Moonsamy (1) was caught by Dian Forrester off the bowling of Tiaan van Vuuren, as they slipped to 69/5.

Corbin Bosch (16) and Brand could only combine for a 20-run sixth wicket stand, before Bosch was pinned LBW by Malusi Siboto, leaving them on 89/6.

Matthew Boast (11) was next in, and just as it looked like him and Brand would take the Titans to lunch in a decent position overall, Knights captain Dane Piedt had a big statement, bowling Boast and Merrick Brett for a first ball duck, leaving the Titans in trouble at the break.

MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Neil Brand (capt), Joshua van Heerden, Keegan Petersen, Dewald Brevis, Jhedli van Briesies, Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Andile Phehlukwayo, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Boast, Junior Dala, Tsepo Ndwandwa

KNIGHTS: Isaac Dikgale, Lesego Senokwane, Garnett Tarr (wk), Aubrey Swanepoel, Dian Forrester, Patrick Botha, Tiaan van Vuuren, Matthew Pollard, Aaron Phangiso, Dane Piedt (capt), Malusi Siboto