Cape Town - David Wiese produced the best all-round performance of his burgeoning career to lead the Titans to their second successive win in the SuperSport Series against the Highveld Lions at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom on Sunday.
Wiese had hit a superb century on Saturday - the eighth of his first-class career - in enabling the Titans to set the Lions a stiff target of 476 in just over a day. Not only did Wiese make a big score (124) but he scored it off just 130 balls (19 fours and 2 sixes) to create extra time for the bowlers to complete the job.
He then proceeded to tear the heart out of the Lions middle order in their second innings, reducing a settled start of 92/2 to 109/7 in the space of six overs. His victims included the Lions’ two most experienced players - Neil McKenzie and Zander de Bruyn - who were both bowled and made four runs between them.
Thereafter it was a matter of time before the Titans completed the job although they were held up by an eight-wicket stand of 105 between Cliffie Deacon and Thami Tsolekile. It will have been a consolation for the Lions that the latter has returned to form with the bat in this game with a second innings of 86 not out (122 balls, 12 fours and 2 sixes) to back up the 58 he scored in the first innings. Tsolekile also completed 4 000 first-class runs in this match.
The Lions will also have been heartened by the continued form shown by Pumelela Matshikwe who took 9 wickets in the match - the best performance of his first-class career.
Wiese finished with innings figures of 4/34 in 15 overs to give him seven wickets in the match. CSA Match Referee Devdas Govindjee named him Man-of-the-Match although he must also have given consideration to Jacques Rudolph for his double century in the first innings followed by 87 in the second.
The Cape Cobras made an excellent start to the defence of their SuperSport Series title when they beat the Warriors by 8 wickets inside three days at Buffalo Park.
The Warriors did not make enough runs in either innings and the Cobras, set a victory target of 126, were home and dry once Andrew Puttick and Yaseen Vallie shared a century opening stand.
The star performer in this match was Justin Ontong who scored a century in the Cobras first innings.
The Knights also scored their second victory of the season when they completed an excellent come-from-behind win over the Dolphins by 4 wickets at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead.
The Dolphins had led by 135 runs on the first innings but the Knights quartet of seamers collectively turned the game around when they dismissed the Dolphins for 160 in their second innings.
It still left them needing 296 for victory but they broke the back of the target through a second-wicket partnership of 112 in 38 overs between Dean Elgar (114 off 200 balls with 15 fours) and Boeta Dippenaar (69 off 175 balls with 7 fours). It was Elgar’s 14th first-class century.
There was a brief scare when the Knights lost three wickets for 10 runs when still 36 runs short of their target but they had the experienced men in Morne van Wyk and Johan van der Wath to see them safely home.
Match referee Tiffie Barnes named Elgar as Man-of-the-Match.
The Titans (44.34) now top the log from the Knights (42.26). There is then a sizeable gap to the third-placed Dolphins (23.82). The Cobras, who have two games in hand, are well in the mix with 17.8 points from their only fixture.
The Dolphins, the Lions and the Warriors have yet to complete a victory.
Next week’s fixtures: Newlands: Cobras vs. Dolphins; Wanderers Stadium: Lions vs. Warriors
Wiese had hit a superb century on Saturday - the eighth of his first-class career - in enabling the Titans to set the Lions a stiff target of 476 in just over a day. Not only did Wiese make a big score (124) but he scored it off just 130 balls (19 fours and 2 sixes) to create extra time for the bowlers to complete the job.
He then proceeded to tear the heart out of the Lions middle order in their second innings, reducing a settled start of 92/2 to 109/7 in the space of six overs. His victims included the Lions’ two most experienced players - Neil McKenzie and Zander de Bruyn - who were both bowled and made four runs between them.
Thereafter it was a matter of time before the Titans completed the job although they were held up by an eight-wicket stand of 105 between Cliffie Deacon and Thami Tsolekile. It will have been a consolation for the Lions that the latter has returned to form with the bat in this game with a second innings of 86 not out (122 balls, 12 fours and 2 sixes) to back up the 58 he scored in the first innings. Tsolekile also completed 4 000 first-class runs in this match.
The Lions will also have been heartened by the continued form shown by Pumelela Matshikwe who took 9 wickets in the match - the best performance of his first-class career.
Wiese finished with innings figures of 4/34 in 15 overs to give him seven wickets in the match. CSA Match Referee Devdas Govindjee named him Man-of-the-Match although he must also have given consideration to Jacques Rudolph for his double century in the first innings followed by 87 in the second.
The Cape Cobras made an excellent start to the defence of their SuperSport Series title when they beat the Warriors by 8 wickets inside three days at Buffalo Park.
The Warriors did not make enough runs in either innings and the Cobras, set a victory target of 126, were home and dry once Andrew Puttick and Yaseen Vallie shared a century opening stand.
The star performer in this match was Justin Ontong who scored a century in the Cobras first innings.
The Knights also scored their second victory of the season when they completed an excellent come-from-behind win over the Dolphins by 4 wickets at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead.
The Dolphins had led by 135 runs on the first innings but the Knights quartet of seamers collectively turned the game around when they dismissed the Dolphins for 160 in their second innings.
It still left them needing 296 for victory but they broke the back of the target through a second-wicket partnership of 112 in 38 overs between Dean Elgar (114 off 200 balls with 15 fours) and Boeta Dippenaar (69 off 175 balls with 7 fours). It was Elgar’s 14th first-class century.
There was a brief scare when the Knights lost three wickets for 10 runs when still 36 runs short of their target but they had the experienced men in Morne van Wyk and Johan van der Wath to see them safely home.
Match referee Tiffie Barnes named Elgar as Man-of-the-Match.
The Titans (44.34) now top the log from the Knights (42.26). There is then a sizeable gap to the third-placed Dolphins (23.82). The Cobras, who have two games in hand, are well in the mix with 17.8 points from their only fixture.
The Dolphins, the Lions and the Warriors have yet to complete a victory.
Next week’s fixtures: Newlands: Cobras vs. Dolphins; Wanderers Stadium: Lions vs. Warriors