Sunfoil Series
Titans take control
2013-01-11 19:50
Ethy Mbhalati (Gallo Images)
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Benoni - The Titans continued to dominate
proceedings in their Sunfoil Series clash against the Knights at
Willowmoore Park on Friday as they restricted the visitors to
190-7 at stumps on day two, still 145 runs in arrears.
The Knights stuttered in reply to
the Titans and an unbeaten 64 off 175 balls from Rudi Second and a
valiant 40 off 101 balls from Ryan Bailey wasn't quite enough to lead the
fightback as they lost wickets at regular intervals and their batsmen struggled
to convert their starts into big scores.
The Titans were all out early on the
second day after resuming on 321-7. The hosts finished on 335 all out with
Graeme van Buuren left stranded on 55.
Full scorecard
Pieter Malan 65 (144 balls), Henry Davids
92 (145 balls) and Van Buuren 55* (90 balls) all contributed to the Titans total, but the tail had no answers for Malusi Siboto who mopped up the
lower order and finished with 18.3-4-47-4.
Michael Erlank fell early in the Knights' reply when he was bowled by Ethy Mbhalati for 14 as the visitors got
their chase off to a rocky start.
Mbhalati and Juan de Villiers continued
their new ball attack before Shaun von Berg and Davids were brought on just
before lunch, but Gihahn Cloete and Rudi Second stood firm to take the
Knights to 41-1 at lunch, still 294 behind the Titans.
Things continued to unravel for the Knights after the lunch break, as Cloete edged to Mosehle behind the
stumps for 24 and Rilee Rossouw was bowled by CJ de Villiers for five, leaving
the visitors in a spot of bother at 51-3.
Rudi Second and Ryan Bailey managed to
stick it out until tea, combining for a 69-run partnership with Second unbeaten
on 39 and Bailey unbeaten on 35.
Bailey departed soon after tea as CJ de
Villiers claimed his second stick. De Villiers and Von Berg continued to
unsettle the visitors with the former bagging four wickets and Von Berg picking
up two.
When bad light brought an early end to the
day’s play Second was unbeaten on 64 with new batsman Dillon du Preez at the
other end with a mammoth task awaiting the pair come Saturday.