DAY 3: De Villiers tears down Knights as Warriors take control
Matthew de Villiers was in imperious form as he tore down the Knights' bowling attack to steer the Dafabet Warriors to 340-4 at stumps on the third day of their CSA 4-Day Series encounter at Dafabet St George's Park on Saturday.
The match was stopped early due to bad light.
The Warriors had created a 320-run lead over the Knights, with six wickets in hand.
The Warriors had De Villiers (194*) and Patrick Kruger (17*) at the crease.
De Villiers's unbeaten ton came in 218 deliveries and it featured 27 fours.
The 25-year-old came into the match boasting a career-best score of 94 and three half-centuries from five First-Class contests.
He faces 126 balls on his way to a maiden First-Class century.
De Villiers shared an outstanding 220-run third-wicket partnership with JP King.
The 22-year-old was the perfect foil to De Villiers's fluent knock.
He scored a patient 64 from 132 during their time together in the middle.
This is King' second First-Class half-century. The No 4 batter faced 110 deliveries to reach the milestone.
He outdid his first-innings effort. He lost his wicket after scoring 43 runs in his first dig.
The Warriors were on 56-2 and needed a substantial partnership when De Villiers and King got together.
That stand was followed by a 42-run partnership between De Villiers and Sinethemba Qeshile (16).
He was in the midst of an unbroken 22-run fifth-wicket stand with Patrick Kruger when the innings were curtailed.
Four of the seven bowlers Dane Piedt employed were successful for the Knights.
Tiaan van Vuuren, Malusi Siboto, Piedt and Dian Forrester finished the day with a wicket each.
Piedt had the best economy rate after conceding 56 runs in 16 overs.
SWANEPOEL SHINES WITH THE BALL
De Villiers's incredible knock cast a long shadow over Aaron Phangiso's valiant half-century for the Knights in the morning session.
The seasoned campaigner came close to registering a new career-best first-class score with his 74 from 169.
He fell three runs shy of equaling his best score in red-ball cricket.
Phangiso's knock was instrumental in helping the Knights establish a slim 20-run lead.
The 41-year-old's innings was curtailed by Beyers Swanepoel, who has been outstanding with the ball for the Warriors.
Swanepoel finished the innings with a brilliant 6-30 in 21 overs.
The 26-year-old enjoyed CJ King's support. King finished with three wickets for 46 runs in 19.4 overs.
WARRIORS: Jivesham Pillay, Jordan Hermann, Matthew de Villiers, JP King, Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), Senuran Muthusamy (capt), Patrick Kruger, Andile Mogakane, Beyers Swanepoel, CJ King, Alfred Mothoa.
KNIGHTS: Jacques Snyman, Lesego Senokwane, Isaac Dikgale, Patrick Botha, Gihahn Cloete (wk), Dian Forrester, Tiaan van Vuuren, Aaron Phangiso, Dane Piedt (capt), Malusi Siboto, Johannes van Dyk
