Warriors now top of the log

The Warriors are now top of the CSA 4-Day Domestic Series log following their exciting three-wicket win over the Highveld Lions on the third day of their match in East London yesterday.

With the Lions resuming on their overnight score of 211 for eight, the Warriors rapidly wrapped up the innings, needing just 17 deliveries to claim the last two wickets, dismissing the visitors for 217, to leave them with a moderate total of 164 for victory.

Fast bowler Lutho Sipamla claimed one of the wickets to fall to finish with four for 53, giving him eight wickets in the match.

The Lions needed another heroic performance to stay in the game and Malusi Siboto (14.3-1-474) once again delivered as he reduced the Warriors to 67 for five.

But young opener Matthew Breetzke played a breakthrough innings as he stood firm for more than four-and-a-half hours in scoring 59 as he and Onke Nyaku produced the matchwinning stand of 80 for the sixth wicket.

Nyaku, who had prompted a Lions collapse in their second innings with the key wickets of Dominic and Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen, finished the job with 58 not out, a knock of great tenacity.

The other Gauteng side, the Titans, are having none of the batting difficulties of the Lions, so they are in control of their match against the Cape Cobras at Willowmoore Park in Benoni.

Having been lifted to 336 for five overnight by Wesley Marshall’s scintillating century on debut, the evergreen Farhaan Behardien and new Titans signing Dayyaan Galiem batted extremely well to ram home the advantage.

Behardien produced another clinical century, his second in succession, as he made 140 in five-and-a-half hours, while Galiem again provided great support as he scored 81 in a sixth-wicket partnership of 190 that took the Titans to 472 all out, a lead of 134.