Johannesburg - Neil McKenzie and Zander de Bruyn combined for a mammoth partnership to help the bizhub Highveld Lions to 243 for seven at stumps on the second day of their SuperSport Series match against the Chevrolet Knights at Bidvest Wanderers in Johannesburg on Friday.

McKenzie and De Bruyn added 162 runs for the fifth wicket off 43 overs after the Lions had crashed to 52 for four.

De Bruyn was cruelly denied a century when he was caught behind off a delivery from Ryan McLaren for 92 off 170 balls with 15 fours, 15 minutes before the close of play.

McKenzie weighed in with 73 off 143 deliveries with 12 fours but he was the fifth batsman dismissed when he was trapped leg-before by seamer Malusi Siboto.

The McKenzie/De Bruyn stand looked to have dragged the Lions completely out of trouble but De Bruyn and Cliffe Deacon (0) fell off consecutive balls from McLaren as the hosts slipped to 237 for seven.

Thami Tsolekile was not out on 13 while Chris Morris was on one as the Lions ended the day trailing their opponents by 95 runs.
McLaren recorded figures of 3-61 while Johan van der Wath had captured 3-72.

Van der Wath had been the early destroyer-in-chief for the Lions as he grabbed three of the first four wickets to fall.

The Lions’ troubles started soon after lunch when Van der Wath trapped Stephen Cook (12) lbw and his new-ball partner McLaren had Jonathan Vandiar (9) caught at third slip.

Van der Wath’s fine spell continued when he bowled Dominic Hendricks (20) and removed Temba Bavuma (0) courtesy of a leg-before decision.

Werner Coetsee had earlier struck a defiant half-century 78 not out off 154 balls before the Knights were bowled out for 338 shortly before lunch.

The home team would have harboured entirely reasonable hopes of knocking the visitors over quickly during the extended morning session as the Knights began the day on 250 for seven.

Coetsee and Van der Wath (37) stretched their eighth-wicket partnership to 68 before Van der Wath edged a delivery from seamer Pumelela Matshikwe to second slip as the Knights slipped to 260 for eight.

But Quinton Friend, who scored 31 with five fours, joined Coetsee at the crease and pair combined to put on 78 runs for the ninth wicket off 23 overs.

Coetsee was in fine touch and he brought up his 24th first-class fifty off 99 balls while in total he struck seven fours and two sixes during his rearguard action.

The end of the Knights’ innings, when it came, happened quickly as left-arm swing bowler Deacon bowled Friend and three balls later had Siboto (0) caught at third slip.

Deacon finished with figures of 3-76 while Matshikwe claimed 3-59.