Titans salvage draw to stay top

RUNFEST: DOLPHINS MAKE MERRY ON BATTING WICKET

Bokako’s 4/15 puts the skids under the hapless Lions.

The Titans battled their way to a draw against the Cape Cobras in Benoni yesterday, but the 12.42 points they gained from the match were enough to see them retain top position despite the Warriors claiming just the second victory this season over the weekend.

The final day at Willowmoore Park saw the Cobras start their second innings with an 82-run lead and a much better bowling effort by the Titans saw them take lunch on 114/4.

After the break, Kyle Verreynne (36) and Aviwe Mgijima (43) accelerated with a stand of 73 in 14.4 overs that took the visitors to their declaration on 185/6.

That left the Titans with a target of 268 in 51 overs, but with the clouds already building up when they started batting, it was difficult to see a result happening.

The home side were able to face 17.5 overs, getting to 57/2 when the rain arrived.

Defending champions Knights were also held to a draw, by the Dolphins in Bloemfontein.

The Dolphins will be wondering how they ever managed to have to follow-on as they piled up 426/4 in their second innings to save the game in lovely batting conditions.

Centuries by Sarel Erwee (128) and Dane Vilas (102*), and half-centuries from Morne van Wyk (58), Vaughn van Jaarsveld (51) and Senuran Muthusamy (73*) were what took them to safety.

Muthusamy had a particularly good all-round game, taking three wickets with his left-arm spin and scoring 95 in the first innings.

Pace bowler Tladi Bokako was the toast of East London as he took 4/15 in 11 overs to lead the Warriors to victory over the Highveld Lions.

Bokako, whose figures were his best in the Sunfoil Series, removed Reeza Hendricks (6), Omphile Ramela (3) and Nicky van den Bergh (0) in the first three overs of the day to destroy the Lions’ chances of reaching their target of just 161 on Saturday.

He was well-supported by spinners Simon Harmer (19-3-47-3) and Jon-Jon Smuts (8.4-0-27-2) as the Lions fell 29 runs short, the Warriors climbing to second place, 5.40 points behind the Titans.