Phangiso makes ball talk for Lions

Left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso – not always considered a frontline option in the longest format of the game – made the ball talk at St George’s Park yesterday as he claimed the bulk of the wickets for the Highveld Lions on the first day of their Four-Day Franchise Series match against the Warriors.

The Warriors, who were sent in to bat, wasted an excellent start as they subsided from 191 for two to 305 for seven at stumps. Even that represented a late rally for the home side, thanks to young Sinethemba Qeshile, who turns 19 today, batting for more than two hours and ending on 47 not out.

Phangiso was the reason the Warriors were reduced to 210 for six, taking four for 56 in 25 probing overs.

Earlier, pugnacious opener Gihahn Cloete had led the way for the Eastern Cape side as he struck 81, getting good support from Ed Moore (41), Yaseen Vallie (44) and captain Jon-Jon Smuts (31).

New Knights captain Pite van Biljon showed his value with an impressive century to lead his team to safety on the opening day of their match against the Cape Cobras at Newlands.

The composed Van Biljon was the man for a crisis as the Knights, who were sent in to bat, crashed to five for two and then 36 for three. That they eventually made it to 279 all out was thanks to two partnerships.

Van Biljon and Rudi Second (47) added 119 for the fourth wicket before the skipper was bowled by Mthiwekhaya Nabe for exactly 100. At 179 for six, though, the evergreen Ryan McLaren (52) and Corne Dry (46) added 93 for the seventh wicket. Keegan Petersen, with 10, was the only other batsman to reach double figures.

Pacemen Dane Paterson, who made the initial strikes, Tladi Bokako, who removed Second and Patrick Kruger (0) in the space of three balls, and Rory Kleinveldt, who wrapped up the innings with the second new ball, finished with three wickets each.

Brothers, Janneman and Pieter Malan, took the Cobras to 12 without loss in reply at stumps.