DAY 3: Titans and Knights on a knife edge at tea

The CSA 4-Day Series game between the Momentum Multiply Titans and Knights was poised on a knife edge at tea on day three, with the visitors on 32-2 in their second innings on Thursday, needing 255 runs to win at SuperSport Park in Centurion.

The Titans are probably slight favourites on a pitch that has assisted the bowlers, but it could go either way, with the Knights needing just one big partnership to get themselves into the game.

The hosts managed 307 all out in their first innings, with the Knights responding with 193 all out, followed by captain Neil Brand striking a fighting unbeaten 87 to help the Titans to 167 all out in their second innings to set the Knights 282 to win.

The Knights' second innings got off to a poor start as Matthew Boast had opener Isaac Dikgale (1) caught behind by keeper Rivaldo Moonsamy and had Aubrey Swanepoel (2) caught by Dewald Brevis to reduce them to 21-2.

A lot will ride on the partnership of Lesego Senokwane (22*) and Dian Forrester (7*) in the day's final session if the visitors want to challenge for the win.

In the post lunch session Brand resumed the Titans' innings on 122-8 and shared in a crucial 39-run ninth-wicket stand with Junior Dala (11), before captain Dane Piedt trapped Dala LBW and bowled Tsepo Ndwandwa for a fifth-ball duck to end the innings.

Piedt finished with impressive figures of 4-24, while Matthew Pollard was almost as good in picking up 4-50.

In the morning the Titans resumed their second innings on 51-3, 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 Pollard, and Moonsamy (1) was caught by 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.

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, Piedt had other plans as he bowled Boast and Merrick Brett for a first-ball duck as the Titans limped to lunch.

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