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Pietermaritzburg - The Warriors face the prospect of following on after they were shot out for 156 in their first innings on day three of the SuperSport Series match against the Dolphins at the City Oval in Pietermaritzburg Saturday.
This was in reply to the Dolphins' 500 for seven declared on Friday, and the home side were left in frustration as bad light saw no play after tea, meaning they now have three sessions on Sunday's fourth and final day instead of four to dismiss the Warriors again.
The pace bowling of Quinton Friend, who captured two wickets in seven deliveries late on Friday afternoon to leave the Warriors stumbling on two runs for two wickets before bad light halted matters, had signalled what was in store for the Warriors on Saturday morning.
And the local crowd weren't disappointed as Friend, twice, and fellow seam bowlers Kyle Abbott and Mthokozisi Shezi left the Warriors reeling at 50 for five before Craig Thyssen and Justin Kreusch added 50 for the sixth wicket.
But the rot again set in when Pakistan-born leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who enjoyed a successful county season with Warwickshire, got into the groove.
Bowling from the Dusi End and employing three close catchers around the bat - at slip, silly point/silly mid-off and short leg - Tahir had the spectators and fielders "oohing and "aahing" with virtually every delivery as he unveiled his full repertoire of the stock ball leg-spinner interspersed with googlies and sliders.
He picked up four of the last five wickets to fall and despite Kreusch - in his distinctive orange gloves - Thyssen and Lyall Meyer all getting into the 30s, never looked comfortable.
Friend got the other wicket to end with a full-value four for 42 with Tahir picking up four for 27 in 17.4 overs.
Weather permitting, Sunday could be a long, painful day for the Warriors.
