Titans’ unlikely draw against Knights
An amazing batting effort by Proteas bowlers Junior Dala and Lungi Ngidi, in which they played practically no attacking shots at all for more than an hour, saw the Titans secure a highly unlikely draw on the final day of their topof-the-log CSA 4-Day Franchise Series match against the Knights in Bloemfontein yesterday.
Dala batted for two hours and faced 92 balls for his 11 not out, while Ngidi held firm for 68 minutes, facing 49 balls and scoring five not out.
The pair came together with the Titans on 349 for eight, leading by just 19 runs with 19 overs left to be bowled.
When stumps were called, they had inched the Titans to 367 for eight, the Great Escape ensuring that the Knights’ lead over them in the standings was restricted to less than four points.
The Titans began the final day on 145 without loss in their follow-on, and Bafana Mahlangu and Wesley Marshall gave them a shot at saving the game as they took their opening stand to 203.
Both would sadly fall just short of their hundreds as Marshall was caught in the slips off Corne Dry for 98 and Mahlangu was then run out for 94.
Leg-spinner Shaun von Berg (44-15-92-4) claimed his first victim when he induced a return catch from Neil Brand (10), but the experienced duo of Heinrich Klaasen (30) and Farhaan Behardien batted into mid-afternoon as they added 44 for the fourth wicket.
But with Gerald Coetzee having Klaasen caught behind and Von Berg striking three more big blows just before tea, the Titans were bleeding on 323 for seven.
Behardien lasted for a third hour as he scored a vital 81 before Dry struck what seemed a terminal blow by trapping him lbw.
But Dala and Ngidi then withstood all the Knights’ firepower to secure a remarkable draw.
Conditions for batting at the Wanderers were obviously a lot trickier, and the Highveld Lions duly wrapped up victory over the Dolphins, by an innings and 15 runs, 15 minutes before lunch.
A handsome haul of 25.08 points means the defending champions are now top of the log, by slightly more than three points over the Knights.
The Dolphins began the day on 173 for five, still 87 behind, and they lost the ley wicket of top-scorer Sibonelo Makhanya in the second over of the day, trapped lbw for 76 by Malusi Siboto.
The Lions bowlers then just kept chipping away to seal victory shortly before lunch, Siboto claiming two more wickets to finish with three for 59 in 16.5 overs, while Dwaine and Migael Pretorius and Nono Pongolo took two wickets apiece.
At Newlands, Yaseen Vallie continued his hot form as he defied the Cape Cobras bowlers through the morning session with 78 from 144 balls to steer the Warriors towards a draw.
The visitors had begun the final day on 32 for two, just three runs ahead, but Vallie was in defiant mood as he added another 77 runs to his overnight single. He was, however, removed by off-spinner Dane Piedt.