Centurion - An unbeaten 61 from Neil McKenzie helped the Lions draw their SuperSport Series match against the Titans in Centurion on Sunday after bad light just before tea forced an early end to the match on the final day.
Forced to follow on after being bowled out for 349 in response to the Titans’ first innings total of 508, the Lions lost two early wickets to go into the lunch interval on 56 for two -- still 103 short of making the home side bat again.
The Titans must have thought they were in with a chance of victory when Jean Symes departed after lunch for 34 without any addition to the score, but McKenzie (61 off 92 balls with nine fours) and Zander de Bruyn (26 off 45 balls) put on 88 runs for the fourth wicket to earn their team a draw.
The Titans took 5.28 batting and four bowling points from the match, while the Lions took 4.98 batting and two bowling points.
The Titans head the six-team log with 79.12 points while the Lions are third on 52.34 points.
Earlier, the Titans seemed poised to pounce for victory after dismissing Stephen Cook twice to set up an intriguing afternoon session.
Resuming on 328 for eight in their first innings, the Lions lost the wickets of Dale Deeb (49) and Cook (148) to be all out for 349 -- still 159 runs adrift of the Titans’ first-innings score.
Titans skipper Jacques Rudolph had no hesitation in enforcing the follow-on, and the decision soon bore fruit when Cook (five) and Jonathan Vandiar (13) were dismissed before lunch.
The Lions looked in similar trouble on Saturday when they limped to lunch on day three on 237 for seven.
At that stage, they still trailed by 271 after centuries from Jacques Rudolph (171) and Henry Davids (130) saw the Titans lay down the gauntlet.
But Cook played an anchor role to eventually bring them within nine runs of avoiding the follow-on, finishing day three on 142 not out after putting on 94 with Friedel de Wet for the eighth wicket in a stand that saw the runs come at 4.44 to the over.
The Lions looked set to avoid the follow-on on Sunday morning but Deeb was carelessly run out for 49 and Cook went shortly afterwards to ensure that there was no need for him to take off his pads between innings.
His first-innings heroics didn't extend to the second, however, as the Lions opener was caught behind by Heino Kuhn off Albie Morkel for just five.
Vandiar did little better, caught by Rudolph off Davids for 13.
For the Titans, Albie Morkel finished with figures of one for 44 from his 12 overs, with the other wicket-takers being Henry Davids (one for 29 from nine) and Shaun von Berg (one for 26 from six).
Teams:
Titans: Jacques Rudolph (capt.), Pieter Malan, Blake Snijman, Farhaan Behardien, Heino Kuhn (wk), Henry Davids, Albie Morkel, Shaun von Berg, Cornelius de Villiers, Clayton August, Ethy Mbhalati
Lions: Stephen Cook, Jean Symes, Jonathan Vandiar, Neil McKenzie, Zander de Bruyn, Temba Bavuma, Thami Tsolekile (capt., wk), Cliffie Deacon, Friedel de Wet, Dale Deeb, Pumelela Matshikwe
Forced to follow on after being bowled out for 349 in response to the Titans’ first innings total of 508, the Lions lost two early wickets to go into the lunch interval on 56 for two -- still 103 short of making the home side bat again.
The Titans must have thought they were in with a chance of victory when Jean Symes departed after lunch for 34 without any addition to the score, but McKenzie (61 off 92 balls with nine fours) and Zander de Bruyn (26 off 45 balls) put on 88 runs for the fourth wicket to earn their team a draw.
The Titans took 5.28 batting and four bowling points from the match, while the Lions took 4.98 batting and two bowling points.
The Titans head the six-team log with 79.12 points while the Lions are third on 52.34 points.
Earlier, the Titans seemed poised to pounce for victory after dismissing Stephen Cook twice to set up an intriguing afternoon session.
Resuming on 328 for eight in their first innings, the Lions lost the wickets of Dale Deeb (49) and Cook (148) to be all out for 349 -- still 159 runs adrift of the Titans’ first-innings score.
Titans skipper Jacques Rudolph had no hesitation in enforcing the follow-on, and the decision soon bore fruit when Cook (five) and Jonathan Vandiar (13) were dismissed before lunch.
The Lions looked in similar trouble on Saturday when they limped to lunch on day three on 237 for seven.
At that stage, they still trailed by 271 after centuries from Jacques Rudolph (171) and Henry Davids (130) saw the Titans lay down the gauntlet.
But Cook played an anchor role to eventually bring them within nine runs of avoiding the follow-on, finishing day three on 142 not out after putting on 94 with Friedel de Wet for the eighth wicket in a stand that saw the runs come at 4.44 to the over.
The Lions looked set to avoid the follow-on on Sunday morning but Deeb was carelessly run out for 49 and Cook went shortly afterwards to ensure that there was no need for him to take off his pads between innings.
His first-innings heroics didn't extend to the second, however, as the Lions opener was caught behind by Heino Kuhn off Albie Morkel for just five.
Vandiar did little better, caught by Rudolph off Davids for 13.
For the Titans, Albie Morkel finished with figures of one for 44 from his 12 overs, with the other wicket-takers being Henry Davids (one for 29 from nine) and Shaun von Berg (one for 26 from six).
Teams:
Titans: Jacques Rudolph (capt.), Pieter Malan, Blake Snijman, Farhaan Behardien, Heino Kuhn (wk), Henry Davids, Albie Morkel, Shaun von Berg, Cornelius de Villiers, Clayton August, Ethy Mbhalati
Lions: Stephen Cook, Jean Symes, Jonathan Vandiar, Neil McKenzie, Zander de Bruyn, Temba Bavuma, Thami Tsolekile (capt., wk), Cliffie Deacon, Friedel de Wet, Dale Deeb, Pumelela Matshikwe