Day 3: Titans strikes stun Lions at lunch on day three

The Momentum Multiply Titans stunned the DP World Lions with four quick wickets at the start of their second innings to reduce the hosts to 4/4, a lead of just 18 runs, at lunch on day three in their CSA 4-Day series clash at DP World Wanderers on Thursday.

After the Lions scored 316 in their first innings, the Titans responded with 302 all out in theirs, with Andile Phehlukwayo’s impressive 88 off 154 balls (10x4; 4x6) helping them limit the deficit after they had been 132/6 at a stage.

But it was a disastrous start to the Lions second innings as they lost four wickets in under five overs before lunch that has put the Titans massively on top heading into the days second session.

The carnage began in the second over when opener Joshua van Heerden (1) was run out by some smart fielding from bowler Dayyaan Galiem, followed by captain Dominic Hendricks edging Galiem to Dewald Brevis at gully for a fourth ball duck off the very next ball leaving them on 1/2.

In the next over Corbin Bosch had Mitchell van Buuren trying to defend a short delivery, only to get an edge to keeper Rivaldo Moonsamy as he departed for a six ball duck.

While the final over before lunch saw Khaya Fakuda become the third duck of the innings as he flicked Merrick Brett straight to Phehlukwayo at square leg.

In the early afternoon session the Titans will be eager to continue making inroads into the Lions batting order, while the hosts will be desperate to stage a fight back, and much of that will likely depend on Zubayr Hamza (2no) staying in and receiving some support.

At the start of the day the Titans resumed their first innings on 239/6, with Phehlukwayo and Bosch (59) at the crease, but they only managed to add four runs to the total before Lutho Sipamla bowled Bosch to end their superb 111-run seventh wicket partnership.

New batter Galiem (4) didn’t last long, edging Sipamla to wicketkeeper Connor Esterhuizen, as the Titans slipped to 247/8 and in danger of conceding a decent first innings deficit.

But Phehlukwayo found good lower order support from Brett (13) as they added 21 to the total, and an important unbeaten zero off 16 balls from Tsepo Ndwandwa, that allowed Phehlukwayo to unleash and add 34-runs for the last wicket, before he was bowled by Codi Yusuf.

Sipamla with 4/83 was the pick of the Lions bowlers, while Tshepo Moreki, 3/36, and Yusuf, 2/66, backed him up well.

DP WORLD LIONS: Dominic Hendricks (capt), Joshua Richards, Zubayr Hamza, Mitchell van Buuren, Khaya Fakuda, Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Delano Potgieter, Bjorn Fortuin, Codi Yusuf, Tshepo Moreki, Lutho Sipamla

MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Neil Brand (capt), Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Keegan Petersen, Dewald Brevis, Josh van Heerden, Jhedli van Briesies, Dayyaan Galiem, Andile Phehlukwayo, Corbin Bosch, Merrick Brett, Tsepo Ndwandwa