DAY 2: Kleinveldt and Van Heerden give Titans the perfect start

Matthew Kleinveldt and Joshua van Heerden's 147-run opening stand won day two for the Multiply Titans as they replied to the AET Tuskers' first innings total of 426 in their CSA 4-day Challenge match at the Pietermaritzburg Oval on Thursday. At stumps, the Titans were on 147 for no wickets. They trail the hosts by 279 runs with 10 wickets in hand.

At the end of the second day, the Titans had Kleinveldt (81 off 132) and Van Heerden (59 off 120) at the crease.

The opening pair picked up from where Dewald Brevis had left off in the Titans' fightback in the contest. The Tuskers dominated with the bat thanks to a century from Yaseen Vallie and two half-centuries from Malcolm Nofal and Keith Dudgeon. The home side made the visitors toil in the field for one and a half days and 158 overs. The Titans only gained a foothold when Brevis dismissed Nofal to open the door for the Titans to bowl at the tail.

Coming into the encounter, the 20-year-old had a best of 3-84 in red-ball cricket. During the Tuskers' first innings, he bowled 19 overs, three of them maiden, and conceded runs at an economy of 3.43 to chalk new career-best bowling figures of 4-65.

Building on that platform, Kleinveldt and Van Heerden batted through 42 chanceless overs to give the Titans the best chance of whittling down their hosts' first-innings score. The pair recorded milestones as they chipped away at the Tuskers' total. Kleinveldt chalked his 35th first-class half-century, while Van Heerden registered his eighth half-ton. Kleinveldt's unbeaten 81 featured 14 fours, while Van Heerden creamed nine fours for his 59 not out.

The Tuskers' bowlers were largely disciplined, they did not bowl any no balls or wides but conceded seven extras in the form of byes - a commendable effort compared to the Titans who bowled 13 no-balls and eight byes for a total of 21 extras.

Alindile Mhletywa, who took four wickets for 11 runs for an economy of 2.75, was the best bowler for the Tuskers. Keith Dudgeon was the least economic bowler with an economy of 4.38 from his eight overs which went for 35 runs.

TUSKERS: Ben Compton, Yaseen Valli, Michael Erlank, Kagiso Rapulana, Malcolm Nofal, Alindile Mhletywa, Keith Dudgeon, Cameron Shekleton, Smangaliso Nhlebela, Ntando Zuma, Jared Meiring

TITANS: Joshua van Heerden, Matthew Kleinveldt, Musa Twala, Dewald Brevis, Sibonelo Makhanya (c), Donovan Ferreira, Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Corbin Bosch, Dayyaan Galiem, Aya Gqamane, Schalk Engelbrecht

THREE WICKETS BY NYAKU PUTS WP ON BRINK OF VICTORY IN GQEBERHA

An inspired spell of bowling by Western Province seamer Onke Nyaku took them to the brink of victory as the Dafabet Warriors finished a tough day two on 119 for nine in their CSA 4-Day Series clash in Gqeberha on Thursday.

Nyaku's three wickets for 17 runs coupled with five wickets shared between Beuran Hendricks and Wesley Bedja dismantled the home side's run chase, leaving the hosts 115 runs behind and just one wicket in hand with Jiveshan Pillay, who top-scored with 60 from 130 balls, and Alfred Mothoa [4 off 1] unbeaten when stumps were drawn.

In pursuit of the 234-run winning target, they lost Jordan Hermann cheaply, as Hendricks had the left-hander caught by Daniel Smith for a double.

He would cause further damage dismissing skipper Matthew Breetzke [3] and Tristan Stubbs [0] off consecutive deliveries as the home side slipped to 7/3 after 6.3 overs.

Returning after tea on 14/3 with Jiveshan Pillay [8] and Sinethemba Qeshile [0], the hosts had a mountain to climb, trailing by 220 runs with seven wickets in hand, but things would get worse for the home side.

The duo added 33 to the total before Mthiwekhaya Nabe trapped Qeshile leg before wicket for six runs before Rudi Second [4] suffered a similar fate at the hands of Wesley Bedja.

A 35-run sixth-wicket stand between Pillay and Patrick Kruger came to an end when Bedja struck again, sending the right-hander back to the change rooms for 15 off 29 balls including three boundaries, as the hosts slipped to 80 for six, still 154 runs behind with only four wickets in hand.

Pillay fought bravely as wickets tumbled around him, facing 104 balls while striking 10 boundaries as he moved to 53.

Nyaku then came on and disrupted the Warriors' flow, claiming the wickets of Beyers Swanepoel [12], Renaldo Meyer and Siya Simetu, both of whom fell without troubling the scorers.

Nyaku finished the day with 3-17 form eight overs, while Hendricks and Bedja recorded figures of 3-30 and 2-33 respectively.

Resuming the day on 49 for one with a second-innings lead of 79 runs, Yaseen Vallie and Tony de Zorzi added 21 runs to take their partnership to 65 while WP's lead grew to 100.

However, Mothoa removed Vallie for 36 from 87 balls including eight boundaries.

Meyer trapped Gavin Kaplan [4] in front, having hit a solitary boundary in the eight balls he faced, as WP slipped to 77 for three, and a second-innings lead of 103.

De Zorzi and skipper Kyle Verreynne took the travellers past 100 as their partnership grew to 36.

However, Kruger struck twice to remove both set batters when he had De Zorzi caught for 44 before Verreynne [29] edged the ball through to wicketkeeper Qeshile as they slipped to 122 for five.

Returning from lunch on 136 for five, with George Linde [13 runs off 15 balls] and Nyaku [1 off 22] still unbeaten and a lead of 166, WP would add just 67 runs for the loss of their last five wickets.

Linde and Nyaku shared 63 runs for the sixth wicket, taking the visitors to 185 and their lead to 215 before Linde was removed by Mothoa for 31.

Simetu claimed two wickets when he bowled Nyaku for 27 and trapped Hendricks leg before wicket for a single with the score on 199.

Swanepoel grabbed his first wicket of the second innings to remove Kyle Simmonds [10] before Simetu castled Wesley Bedja for a duck to end the innings.

The left-arm orthodox spinner finished with figures of 3-29 from 6.1 overs, while Kruger, Meyer and Mothoa claimed 2-16, 2-55 and 2-56 respectively.

DAFABET WARRIORS: Jiveshan Pillay, Jordan Hermann, Sinethemba Qeshile, Matthew Breetzke [C], Tristan Stubbs, Rudi Second, Patrick Kruger, Beyers Swanepoel, Renaldo Meyer, Siya Simetu, Alfred Mothoa.

WESTERN PROVINCE: TONY de Zorzi, Daniel Smith, Yaseen Vallie, Gavin Kaplan, Kyle Verreynne [C], George Linde, Onke Nyaku, Kyle Simmonds, Beuran Hendricks, Wesley Bedja, Mthiwekhaya Nabe.

CELE PUTS DOLPHINS IN CHARGE

Okuhle Cele was in great form as he took three wickets to give the Hollywoodbets Dolphins the upper hand in their CSA 4-day Challenge match against the North West Dragons at the JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, on Thursday.

At stumps, the home side were on 200 for five in reply to the visitors' first-innings total of 643 for eight, declared. The Dragons trail the Dolphins by 443 runs with five wickets in hand.

At the end of day two, the Dragons had Wihan Lubbe (27 from 54) and Tahir Isaacs (6 from 26) at the crease.

Cele and Daryn Dupavillon combined to make life difficult for the Dragons' opening pair of Lesego Senokwane and Grant Mokoena, who faced a combined 22 deliveries and scored only five runs between them. The new ball bowlers had both openers back in the hutch in the seventh over.

In the face of a less-than-ideal start, the Dragons needed a substantial third-wicket partnership from Lesiba Ngoepe and Rubin Hermann. The duo came to the party with a 138-run stand that guided the home team out of the murky waters they found themselves in. That partnership was broken by Cele, who snared Ngoepe lbw to disrupt the Dragons' rebuilding effort.

At the time of his dismissal, Ngoepe had registered his 29th first-class half-century and was four runs shy of a fourth first-class ton. The No 3 batter had scored a well-paced 96 off 122 balls that featured 12 fours and three sixes.

Cele turned one wicket into two with the dismissal of Hermann 2.2 overs and four runs later. The 27-year-old wicketkeeper mistimed a delivery from Cele, launching it in the direction of Bryce Parsons who took an easy catch in the mid-wicket region. He had scored 44 from 92.

Cele's three wickets for 41 runs in 11 overs made him the standout bowler for the Dolphins. Dupavillon, who took a solitary wicket, had the best economy among bowlers who delivered five or more overs. He was going at 1.67 runs an over in his nine overs. But, Jon-Jon Smuts, who conceded three runs in three overs, had the best overall economy.

DRAGONS :Lesego Senokwane, Lesiba Ngoepe, Rubin Hermann, Wihan Lubbe (C), Migael Pretorius, Taheer Isaacs (wk), Duan Jansen, Bamanye Xenxe, Kerwin Mungroo, Gideon Peters.

DOLPHINS: Sarel Erwee (c), Tshepang Dithole, Marques Ackerman, Bryce Parsons, Jason Smith, Jon-Jon Smuts, Andile Phehlukwayo, Prenelan Subrayen, Andile Simelane, Daryn Dupavillon, Okuhle Cele.

HENDRICKS SHEPHERDS LIONS INTO POSITION OF STRENGTH

Dominic Hendricks scored a measured century to help the DP World Lions take the lead in their CSA 4-day Challenge match against the Gbets Rocks at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, on Thursday. At stumps, the Lions had 402 runs for four wickets on the board. They were leading the Rocks by 176 runs with six wickets in hand.

At the close of day two, Hendricks was unbeaten 121 from 309 balls and his partner, Wiaan Mulder, was on 93 off 84 deliveries.

Hendricks, who called wrongly at the toss on day one, played a captain's knock as his team replied to the visitors' first-innings score of 226. The 33-year-old left-hander was circumspect in his approach, rarely breaching the 40 per cent strike rate mark as he accumulated runs on his way to a 17th first-class century.

Hendricks started the day in the company of nightwatchman Codi Yusuf. That partnership barely lasted 30 deliveries on the second morning. But, there were no tears shed as Yusuf had done his duty. The pacer had come to the crease to make sure that the Lions did not lose more wickets late on day one. He fulfilled that duty and added 25 runs to the total.

Yusuf's replacement was the in-form Ryan Rickelton. The 27-year-old left-hander showed that his form was not limited to white-ball cricket as he brought up his 16th first-class half-century to add to the five 50s he racked up in the SA20 league. Rickelton scored 52 from 111 in his 91-run third-wicket partnership with Hendricks.

After Rickelton was dismissed by one of Aviwe Mgijima's offies, Hendricks joined forces with Temba Bavuma for a 148-run partnership that almost saw the Lions past 300 runs. When it collapsed, the home side was six runs short of the milestone. In contrast to the innings by his Lions captain, Bavuma was as free-flowing as his strike rate of 77.78 suggests. The Proteas test captain struck nine fours and a single six for his half-ton.

Rickelton wasn't the only Lions player to bring his SA20 form to four-day cricket. Wiaan Mulder came in guns blazing and raced to an unbeaten 93 off 84 balls for a sensational 108-run fifth-wicket partnership with Hendricks. Mulder's blistering knock featured 11 fours and three sixes.

Aviwe Mgijima, Achille Cloete, Glenton Stuurman and Hardus Viljoen all took a wicket each in the Lions' first innings, but Viljoen stood out as the best bowler. The pacer took a single wicket for 61 runs in 24 overs. His economy of 2.55 runs an over was better than the others and he also delivered the most maiden overs.

LIONS: Joshua Richards, Dominic Hendricks, Ryan Rickelton, Temba Bavuma, Mitchell van Buuren, Wandile Makwetu, Delano Potgieter, Bjorn Fortuin, Malusi Siboto, Codi Yusuf.

ROCKS: Janneman Malan, Maphier Joseph, Pieter Malan (c), Nathan Engelbrecht, Aviwe Mgijima, Mickey Copeland, Hardus Viljoen, Jean du Plessis, Glenton Stuurman, Siyabonga Mahima, Achille Cloete