Ken Borland

Matthew Boast

One of the clutch of new players being groomed to be stars at SuperSport Park, Matthew Boast is a lively pace bowler and useful lower-order batsman who hits the ball hard. Educated at Hilton College in KwaZulu-Natal Inland, Boast then joined Tuks and was a key member of the SA U19 team in the 2022 Junior World Cup.

His potential was shown when he was bought by the Pretoria Capitals as a rookie for a whopping R1.6 million for the second season of the SA20. Boast played one first-class match, taking four wickets, and three 50-over games, claiming five wickets, for the Titans last season. He will turn 22 in February.

Keegan Petersen

Having lost his place in the Proteas Test team, Keegan Petersen has decided to reignite his career by moving from his birthplace in Paarl to join the brilliant cricket therapists at the Titans. There is a proud tradition of batsmen from the Western Cape coming to stay at SuperSport Park and scoring plenty of runs.

Having played a starring role in South Africa’s epic series win over India in 2021/22, Petersen played just three Tests last summer and had his struggles domestically for Boland as well. But he showed his enduring class in the One-Day Cup, scoring 383 runs at an average of 76.60 and a strike-rate of 82.01, with a century and three fifties.

A gutsy cricketer who is always up for a challenge, Petersen has always worked diligently on his batting, and even though he is 31 years old now, he is still learning and growing his game. Technically sound, Petersen’s highly-esteemed strokeplay is always worth a watch as he massages the ball around the field, but he also has great resilience.

Corbin Bosch

Corbin Bosch adheres to the principle of going hard whether it is with ball or bat, making him one of the Titans’ most valuable all-rounders, particularly in the white-ball formats.

The 30-year-old has developed into a reliable lower-order batsman, and he was especially good in first-class cricket last season, averaging 42.75 and taking his tally of career half-centuries to eight.

But the Durban-born Tuks product first made his name as a mean and nasty fast bowler, who often creates pressure and wickets for the bowler at the other end. Bosch has followed in the footsteps of his late father Tertius, a bowler of great pace for Northerns who played a Test and two ODIs for South Africa in 1992.

Corbin Bosch enjoyed an excellent T20 campaign for the Titans last season, playing in 13 matches and taking 13 wickets, while conceding just 7.33 runs-per-over.

Neil Brand

Half-a-dozen seasons of consistency at the Titans with both bat and ball earned Neil Brand reward last season when he made his Test debut for South Africa, and was given the honour of captaining the team on their tour of New Zealand.

Although Brand did not fare as well as he usually does with the bat for the Titans last season, he showed his adaptability as a cricketer when he moved into the middle-order for the CSA T20 Challenge and did a fine job, averaging 34.83 and scoring at a strike-rate of 130.62.

He made a considerable contribution with the ball throughout the season, though, his left-arm spin netting him 12 wickets in four red-ball matches at an average of just 16.75, while he was tough to score off in the white-ball formats with economy rates of 5.25 in one-day cricket and 6.83 in the T20s.

Generally a top-order batsman, Brand will be relied upon again this season to get the Titans on the front foot, while his bowling has also earned respect.

Dewald Brevis

The weight of expectation on young Dewald Brevis, the 2022 U19 World Cup Player of the Tournament, does not stunt the growth of his game as his second full season of senior cricket saw him once again produce several moments of great skill and daring.

He came of age in four-day cricket, averaging 40.63 with two centuries, and he also made two hundreds in one-day cricket, averaging 53.14 at a strike-rate of 97.89 as he collected 372 runs, the most for the Titans.

The maker of the highest individual score by a South African in T20 cricket – his breakthrough 162 off just 57 balls for the Titans against the Knights in 2022/23 – only played three matches in the shortest format for the franchise last season, due to his IPL commitments.

His two 50-over centuries were contrasting efforts: Brevis made 100 off only 80 balls against the Dragons, and also scored 116 off 118 deliveries, out of a total of 217, the Titans having lost their first three wickets with just one run on the board, against Western Province.

The 21-year-old’s maiden four-day hundred (110) came in the thrilling win over the Warriors, and he then scored 113 a week later in a victory over the Dragons in Potchefstroom. Those back-to-back displays really attracted attention and the further development of this precocious, massive talent will be eagerly watched this season.

Junior Dala

If ever there was a player who you could choose to represent the ultimate professional, then Junior Dala would be your man. Supremely fit, willing to charge in all day and constantly growing his skills with both ball and bat, Dala was the leading wicket-taker for the Titans in the four-day competition, taking 23 in just four matches at an excellent average of only 22.47. His six for 58, and nine wickets in the match, against the Lions at SuperSport Park almost bowled the Titans into the final.

Capped a dozen times for South Africa in white-ball cricket, Dala initially played for Gauteng and Easterns, but joined the Titans in 2013. His outstanding resilience and athleticism have now been complemented by great clarity in terms of game-plan, and this affable stalwart of Titans cricket will no doubt continue to be a key strike bowler this season.

Donovan Ferreira

Born and bred in Pretoria, Ferreira got off the mark in international cricket with a second-ball six, which epitomises the boldness of his batting. But the 26-year-old is way more than just a hard-hitting basher: Ferreira is a nice package across the board as a cricketer – an adept finisher but someone who is also crossing over with success into four-day cricket, a handy off-spinner and a part-time wicketkeeper.

Having been plucked out of civilian life as a salesman by Titans coach Mandla Mashimbyi, Ferreira continues to grow his game and is now a sought-after player in leagues across the world.

Ferreira hammered 353 runs in seven innings, at an average of 58.83 and a strike-rate of 137.35 for the Momentum Multiply Titans in the One-Day Cup, ensuring a positive end to most innings. He collected 18 sixes during the competition, more than anyone else.

He showed his bowling prowess by taking 10 wickets in the four-day match against North-West in Potchefstroom, while his brave 96 against Western Province at Newlands was his red-ball batting highlight.

Dayyaan Galiem

After being named the Titans’ 2019/20 Player of the Season, Galiem has had terrible misfortune with injuries. Nevertheless, he keeps popping up with crucial contributions with both bat and ball, and in all three formats. As a bowler, the all-rounder has lively pace and swings the ball prodigiously, making him a real handful when conditions are conducive. Galiem is also a very capable batsman down the order, as shown by his average of 23.82 for the Titans in four-day cricket, while his strong hitting has seen him employed in a finishing role in white-ball cricket. Alongside Donovan Ferreira, he famously steered the Titans to the CSA T20 Challenge title in 2022/23 with a top-class, matchwinning, unbeaten effort with the bat, while last season he had a strike-rate of 152.63 with the bat in the same competition to show his ability to punish attacks.

Sibonelo Makhanya

Very pleasing on the eye whether as a strokeplayer or when dashing around the field, Sibs Makhanya was one of the Titans’ most consistent batsmen last season in both four-day cricket and the T20 competition.

He had a marvellous T20 tournament, scoring 348 runs, second only to Rivaldo Moonsamy for the Titans, at a strike-rate of 132.82 and he passed 50 three times, more than any other Titans batsman. He shone as a true middle-order entertainer, bringing great urgency, quick running between the wickets and tremendous improvisation and skill to the crease, as well as being one of the best fielders in the competition.

In first-class cricket, he notched four half-centuries, averaging 31.75 for the campaign.

Makhanya was a member of Aiden Markram’s 2014 junior world cup winning team and has also been a popular captain of the Titans.

Rivaldo Moonsamy

The wicketkeeper/batsman was on fire last season on his return to the Momentum Multiply Titans, being their leading run-scorer in both the four-day and T20 competitions. Moonsamy averaged an impressive 48.72 against the red ball, scoring 536 runs which included hundreds against the Warriors and the Dolphins. He also more than earned his bread in the T20 competition, lashing 428 runs at a dazzling strike-rate of 136.30.

Moonsamy was named the Titans’ Men’s Player of the Year in a triumphant return to the province after two seasons away with Northern Cape. A born-and-bred Pretoria product, Moonsamy is from Laudium and was schooled at St Alban’s, making the Northerns Schools team in 2013 and 2014.

Selection for the SA A team for the four-day series against Sri Lanka A in September showed that Moonsamy has put himself in line for higher honours and he will be eager to once again produce the goods for the Titans this season.

Joshua van Heerden

The St Alban’s educated Van Heerden played in just eight matches for the Momentum Multiply Titans in 2023/24, but it was across all formats and he marked his return to Pretoria, having played in the Eastern Cape since leaving school, with some memorable personal achievements. The right-handed opener notched his first century for the Titans when he scored an unbeaten 109 against the Tuskers in Pietermaritzburg, adding a record 252 for the first wicket with Matthew Kleinveldt. Van Heerden also scored his first T20 half-century for the Titans when he bashed 56 off just 35 balls against the Dolphins.

A composed batsman who shows good judgement, Van Heerden played 10 T20 internationals for Germany in 2022/23.

Lizaad Williams

One can’t underestimate the threat posed by Lizaad Williams with his skiddy bounce and ability to move the ball off the pitch. Those weapons are why the Proteas had selected the pace bowler for two Tests, four ODIs and 13 T20 internationals by the start of this season. He was part of the 50-over World Cup squad that made the semi-finals in 2023.

Fiercely competitive, Williams was the leading wicket-taker for the Joburg Super Kings in the SA20 in 2024 and he has served the Momentum Multiply Titans extremely well since 2020/21, when he was named as their Player of the Year at the end of the season, as a strike bowler able to break those stubborn partnerships.

The Lizaad Williams story is an inspirational one as he comes from humble beginnings in Vredenburg on the Cape West Coast and early hardships have made him a very resilient character.

Sisanda Magala

The Proteas white-ball international is a new signing for the Momentum Multiply Titans, having missed most of last season with the Lions due to knee surgery. Magala is a marvellous limited-overs bowler, possessing both a magnificent yorker and, thanks to his physical strength, the ability to hit the deck hard while bowling at decent pace.

Hailing originally from the Eastern Cape, Magala should also not be underestimated as a batsman, averaging 19.44 in first-class cricket with nine half-centuries, and having a pair of fifties each in 50-over and T20 cricket.

Magala was originally named in South Africa’s squad for the 2023 World Cup, but had to withdraw due to his knee injury, and he will want to perform at top-level again this season to show why he is regarded as one of the best death bowlers in the country.

Tsepo Ndwandwa

The Momentum Multiply Titans are the fourth franchise left-arm spinner Ndwandwa will represent after previous stints with the Cobras, Warriors, Knights and Lions. Another Eastern Cape product, Ndwandwa began his career with Border before moving to South-Western Districts, where he enjoyed the bulk of his success, taking 67 wickets in 22 first-class matches at an average of 27.70.

He has been a tidy performer in 50-over cricket and his career economy in the T20 format is a stingy 7.19.

Jhedli van Briesies

The 23-year-old from Mossel Bay, South-Western Districts, enjoyed a marvellous past season with the Garden Route Badgers in which he averaged 68.25 in first-class cricket, including a couple of centuries.

Van Briesies is a pleasing strokeplayer who favours the leg-side and is magnificent on the pull. He is also a tidy wicketkeeper and his arrival at the Momentum Multiply Titans, after a breakthrough season in Division II, will generate much interest.

Schooled at Langenhoven Gimnasium, Van Briesies played for the SWD Schools team for three years (2017-19) and has also played a couple of seasons of club cricket in the UK.

Lhuan-Dre Pretorius

One of the kings of junior cricket in South Africa, Pretorius successfully transitioned from U19 cricket to the senior Momentum Multiply Titans ranks last season.

The left-handed opener is still in school, doing matric at Cornwall Hill College this year, having been a dominant figure in the powerful St Stithians team, breaking the record for the most centuries for the school.

After an excellent Junior World Cup, in which he was among the top five-run-scorers with 287 at an average of 57.40 and a strike-rate of 94.09, Pretorius debuted for the Titans in the CSA T20 Challenge and scored 279 runs at a strike-rate of 119.74. While this showed the Klerksdorp-born 18-year-old is a tremendous talent, it was also the way he scored those runs that was so impressive. Renowned as a big-hitter who destroys attacks, Pretorius showed he is able to hit the ball ferociously hard and also manipulate it all around the field with sweetly-timed strokes.

His tally included two half-centuries – 58 from 43 balls against the Tuskers at SuperSport Park and a vital 52 off 32 balls in the de facto quarterfinal win over Western Province at Newlands. Pretorius also kept wicket tidily and there are high hopes he can follow in the footsteps of former Titans kingpin Quinton de Kock as a left-handed opener/wicketkeeper who became a major international star.

Roelof van der Merwe

Going into his 19^th season as a professional cricketer, Roelof van der Merwe continues to advertise his enduring passion for the game with every double fist pump wicket celebration, every lusty swing of the bat and every moment of age-defying brilliance in the field.

The veteran all-rounder is an astute signing by the Momentum Multiply Titans as he is a serial winner in the white-ball game, and a key member of the previous generation of Titans players that dominated South African domestic cricket. He last played in South Africa in 2023 when he led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to the inaugural SA20 title and he remains a sought-after T20 player all over the world, having played in the UK, the Caribbean, the IPL, the UAE and the Big Bash. Van der Merwe is a double international, having played 26 times for the Proteas and more than 50 times for the Netherlands.

A left-arm spinner adept at keeping batsmen quiet and an aggressive batter who was good enough to score an unbeaten double-century in first-class cricket for the Titans, Van der Merwe will bring competitive fire to the team, his nickname of The Bulldog still being most apt.

Gerald Coetzee

The Momentum Multiply Titans welcomed Coetzee to SuperSport Park last season and even though he only managed to appear once for them due to Proteas commitments, when he did play the Titans ended up winners of a thrilling four-day match against Eastern Province, the former Free Stater taking four for 54 as they won by just 13 runs. Those international commitments included the 50-over World Cup, which ensured Coetzee is now well-known across the world for having plenty of wheels and the ability to take wickets, as he broke the South African record for the most dismissals (20) in a single edition of that showpiece tournament. His passion and aggression have also made him a favourite at the Wankhede Stadium following his stint for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.

Coetzee is also a handy batsman who will rattle up quick runs in the lower-order.

Heinrich Klaasen

The way Heinrich Klaasen has grown his game in the last couple of seasons has been remarkable and he is now one of the kings of white-ball cricket globally, being one of the very best finishers around. His performance in last year’s 50-over World Cup was exceptional as he plundered 373 runs at the second-highest strike-rate of the tournament (133.21) and he continued these heroics in the T20 World Cup this year, including the fastest ever half-century in a final (27 balls).

In the last two seasons, he has scored 1065 ODI runs at an average of 48.40 and a strike-rate of 134.46, with three centuries.

The wicketkeeper/batsman is acknowledged as one of the finest players of spin in the world, and his relaxed persona belies a steely determination. When he’s not sparring with the world’s best bowlers, Klaasen loves to play for the Titans and is one of the franchise’s favourite sons with more than 8000 runs and 11 centuries for the union across all formats.

Aiden Markram

The co-captain of the Proteas alongside Temba Bavuma, Markram has been one of the great leaders of the Titans over the last decade. His captaincy credentials seem to improve with every year: having led South Africa to the U19 World Cup crown in 2014, he captained Sunrisers Eastern Cape to the title in the first two seasons of the SA20, and in 2024 he led the Proteas to an historic place in the T20 World Cup final.

In addition to his leadership skills, Markram has contributed more than 6000 runs across formats for the Titans, with 19 centuries. Many of those have come from one of the most gorgeous cover-drives in the game. The 30-year-old also contributes useful off-spin and is going to go down as one of the greatest players for the franchise, having shared in eight trophy-winning campaigns.

Part of the considerable legacy of Tuks cricket, Markram attended Pretoria Boys High and Cornwall Hill College.

Lungi Ngidi

Pace bowler Ngidi made his debut for the Titans in 2015 and burst on to the international scene in 2017 when he made his Proteas debut in a T20 against Sri Lanka and won the man of the match award. His Test debut in 2018 was even more dramatic as he took a matchwinning six for 39 against India at SuperSport Park, and then made his ODI debut against the same opponents, taking eight wickets in his first three matches.

Hailing from KZN, where he won bursaries to Highbury Prep School and Hilton College, Ngidi came to Pretoria in 2015 to play for Tuks and was an immediate success. The 28-year-old has been struck down by untimely injuries, but has still managed to take 120 wickets for the Titans across the three formats.

Ngidi is a sought-after bowler in T20 leagues around the world, thanks to his ability to surprise batsmen with incredibly skilful slower balls and cutters, making him a difficult bowler to chase after.

Tabraiz Shamsi

The left-arm wrist-spinner used to loathe being hit for boundaries, but now that he has become one of the most potent wicket-takers in international white-ball cricket, Tabraiz Shamsi knows he has the ability to dismiss any over-confident or unwatchful batsman.

His performances for the Proteas will go down in lore as he is South Africa’s highest-ever wicket-taker in T20 internationals as well as being an ever-present member of the ODI squad.

Shamsi is an experienced campaigner around the world, having played in T20 leagues in the Caribbean, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, England and the IPL. He joined the Titans in 2014/15 and enjoyed a dream second season as he spearheaded their charge to the first-class title with 41 wickets at 19.97.

The Johannesburg-born and educated star really began to blossom after the 2019 World Cup, once Imran Tahir retired from international cricket, and Shamsi’s eight for 32 against the Warriors at St George’s Park in 2020/21 are the best ever bowling figures for the Titans franchise.

Andile Phehlukwayo

After making his name in Durban for the last decade, Proteas all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo is looking for a new challenge in Centurion with the Momentum Multiply Titans.

Phehlukwayo’s inventive seam bowling will give the Titans a skilful option in the middle and death overs of limited-overs cricket, to add to his sweet striking with the bat and ability to hit the long ball in the lower-order.

The 28-year-old has played in more than a hundred games for South Africa, in all three formats, and has played in the last two 50-over World Cups. Becoming a vital cog in the Titans outfit will go a long way to ensuring he is included in the 2027 squad for the World Cup to be played in South Africa.

Mandla Mashimbyi

The Momentum Multiply Titans head coach is an expert in boosting the sheer mentality of his players and that is shown by the four-day and T20 titles he has steered the team to since taking over from Mark Boucher midway through the 2019/20 season.

Mashimbyi’s own playing career was cut short in 2010 at the age of 29 by knee injuries, but the pace bowler took 103 wickets in 39 first-class matches for the Titans and Northerns, as well as averaging over 20 with the bat. He also played 44 one-day games while based in Centurion, helping Northerns to the three-day and one-day double in 2005/6 and captaining them to the CSA One-Day Challenge title in 2009/10.

The Phalaborwa-born Mashimbyi has also had stints at international level with the SA U19, SA A, SA Emerging and Proteas teams as an assistant coach.

Richard das Neves

Richard das Neves’ stock has risen considerably in recent years as he continues his progress into the elite coaching ranks, boosted by backroom roles with the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and the Paarl Royals in the SA20.

As a successful former captain of the Gauteng team, Das Neves is strong on the theory behind winning cricket and strategy, and he made Easterns the kings of the second division, leading them to three titles in four seasons between 2017/18 and 2020/21. He was named Cricket South Africa’s Coach of the Year in 2020.

As a player, Das Neves was an off-spinner and useful batsman, scoring nearly a thousand first-class runs, including one century, and taking 126 wickets at an average of just 24.

The Titans assistant coach is a qualified biokineticist.

*All stats as of September 1, 2024

Gerald Coetzee strikes one as a young cricketer who is fully committed to getting the absolute best out of his talent, so when his Free State Knights team were relegated at the end of the season, it was only natural that he should look elsewhere to further his burgeoning career.

The Northerns Titans, with whom he has now signed, are an ideal fit for the exciting fast bowler, being a team with a history of winning and a reputation for converting domestic talents into international stars. The Titans dominated the last decade of franchise cricket and they topped the Division I promotion/relegation log after the last two seasons.

The Proteas and their fans will also be delighted because the newly-capped Coetzee is too exciting a talent to be languishing in Division II.

The 22-year-old Coetzee played two Tests and two ODIs for South Africa in the season just finished, and proved himself to be a strike-bowler with 14 wickets. He is also a handy lower-order batsman.

“He’s an x-factor player, dangerous with the white ball and he will also really help us in the four-day competition,” Titans CEO Jacques Faul told kenborland.com. “He’s an exciting talent who has the kind of profile of young fast bowlers we have developed in the past – guys like Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn and Lungi Ngidi.

“With Lungi being contracted to the Proteas, we don’t get to see much of him in Titans colours, and Lizaad Williams too has spent time away with the national squad. So we need Gerald’s firepower as well,” Faul said.

Northerns Titans have also signed Free State opening batsman Matthew Kleinveldt, who fitted in well with the Knights after moving there in 2020 following 10 seasons in the Western Cape. In the last two seasons based in Bloemfontein, Kleinveldt has scored 692 runs at an average of 49.42.

With Theunis de Bruyn’s future in doubt and Heinrich Klaasen likely to be away with the Proteas for much of next season, it makes sense for the Titans to beef up their batting, an area where they also looked a bit light on experience at the end of last season.

The movement of Coetzee and Kleinveldt to Northerns is important because it also ensures two of the Knights’ better players still have a place in Division I cricket. With its strong schools and university, Free State is an important area of talent in terms of the national pipeline and their relegation to Division II is not good news for South African cricket as a whole. Especially since it is KZN Inland who are replacing them in the top division, meaning there are two teams from KwaZulu-Natal, based less than 100km apart, now playing in the A Section.

Of the Knights’ other players of national interest, Raynard van Tonder, so prolific with the bat a couple of seasons ago, is moving to the North-West Dragons, where he will definitely bolster a fragile batting line-up. Pace bowler Migael Pretorius, however, is believed to have turned down contracts elsewhere and will be playing as a free agent, which probably means he will be heading overseas to play in T20 leagues.

The 36-year-old Pite van Biljon, who was playing T20s for South Africa in 2021, is heading to Pietermaritzburg to play for the KZN Inland Tuskers, one of the few signings they will be making as they are believed to be backing the talent that won them promotion.

If a tie is like kissing your sister then winning your last game but seeing your trophy hopes disappear could be like snogging a slobber-mouthed dog. The Northerns Titans maybe felt a bit like that as they set themselves up for a comfortable victory over the North-West Dragons at Centurion, but had to accept that they can no longer win the first-class competition.

The KZN Dolphins have assured themselves of the CSA 4-Day Series title and R1.5 million in prizemoney, even if they lose to the Central Gauteng Lions in Potchefstroom, because the 8.58 bonus points they gathered in the first innings push their tally to 118.04, which none of the other teams can overtake.

The Titans also face a battle for second place and the R750 000 prizemoney because if the Eastern Province Warriors bowl Western Province, currently 129 for three, out for less than 339 on Wednesday then they will pip Northerns by 0.5 of a point. There is no prizemoney for finishing third.

Northerns made heavy weather of bowling North-West out for 360 on Tuesday, letting catches slip and bowling messily. That left them with a potentially awkward target of 190 for victory, but openers Neil Brand and Modiri Litheko did a great job of lifting spirits in the home changeroom with a dashing unbeaten stand of 53 before stumps.

The Titans were probably eyeing the spoils of victory before tea when they claimed three early wickets on the third morning to reduce North-West to 90 for four, still 81 behind.

But Senuran Muthusamy and JP King took advantage of the crisis to prove their mettle. Muthusamy showed why new Test coach Shukri Conrad rates him so highly as he made a determined 62 to go with the six wickets he took in the Northerns first innings, while King, playing just his second game at Division I level, defied the Titans for four hours.

King eventually fell to the natural away-swing of Matthew Boast with the second new ball, but his 92 was a great effort, and the 10 fours and a six he struck showed he has the strokes to go with the determination.

Once Muthusamy was dismissed though, bowled by an excellent yorker from Boast, to leave North-West on 207 for five, just 36 ahead, there was a general laxity to the Titans performance. Perhaps the news had reached them that they were no longer playing for the title, but one would hope a R750 000 prize would still be motivation enough.

The Dragons tail wagged with enthusiasm in response and they added another 153 runs to give themselves a chance of winning their first four-day match this season. Duan Jansen was again an obstacle with 30 and then Juan James, the concussion substitute for Khaya Cotani, who was struck on the head first ball by Junior Dala, lashed 37 off 35 balls and put on 39 for the ninth wicket with Lwandiswa Zuma (15).

Boast was the best of the Northerns bowlers, finishing with three for 62 in 19 overs.

The Titans would have been unhappy with having let North-West come back into the match, but Brand was solid as ever at the top of the order as he reached 17 not out at stumps, while Litheko was in a rush, racing to 29 not out as he banished the memory of scoring just four runs in his last three innings.

Lions guts

The Central Gauteng Lions showed plenty of guts on Tuesday as they fought back superbly on the third day of their CSA 4-Day Series match against the KZN Dolphins in Potchefstroom.

The Dolphins had been calling the tune until Tuesday as they scored 329 and then reduced the Lions to 171 for eight. But the Central Gauteng team began their fightback with some brilliant resistance with the bat, led by Malusi Siboto.

Coming to the wicket at a difficult 128 for six, Siboto was involved in important partnerships of 27 with Connor Esterhuizen (36), 16 with Lutho Sipamla (12) and 26 with Codi Yusuf (14). But at 197 for nine, the Lions still faced a deficit of 132.

But Siboto and 19-year-old Liam Alder, making his first-class debut, then added a defiant 62 for the last wicket, making the trophy-hunting Dolphins really fight for the final wicket.

Siboto ended with a marvellous 54 not out off 167 balls, while Alder eventually fell for 23 off 63 deliveries. The last pair had crucially reduced the Lions’ first-innings deficit to just 70.

The bowlers then did a great job maintaining the comeback vibe for the Lions with Siboto having both Tshepang Dithole and Keegan Petersen caught behind, and spinner Alder claiming the wicket of first-innings top-scorer Marques Ackerman for just 10 as the Dolphins slipped to 68 for four.

Khaya Zondo (65) and Jason Smith (59) then added 111 for the fifth wicket, but Evan Jones then showed some proper skills with the old ball as he ripped through the lower-order, taking five for 46 as the Dolphins crashed from 179 for four to 222 all out.

Set a target of 293 for victory, the Lions were in good condition at stumps as they reached 64 for one.

Thando Ntini drew first blood when Josh Richards was unfortunate to be adjudged lbw for just 2, but instead of venting his spleen, captain Dominic Hendricks went about setting a solid foundation with his 32 not out.

Kagiso Rapulana also looked adept at the crease as he went to 30 not out, he and Hendricks adding 49 as the Lions went to stumps on 64 for one.

Needing another 229 runs to win, the Lions have certainly impressed with the way they have stayed professional right until the final day of the season, even though they can no longer win the four-day title, the Dolphins having accrued too many bonus points in the first innings to be overtaken.

Newlands

The Eastern Province Warriors are pushing hard for second place as they set Western Province a target of 339 to win at Newlands, the home side reaching 129 for three at stumps.

Glenton Stuurman had Jonathan Bird caught behind for 5 early on, and then returned to claim the key wicket of Zubayr Hamza, bowling him for 51.

Stuurman had earlier top-scored for the Warriors with his 38 lifting them to 184 all out. Left-arm spinner George Linde was the destroyer-in-chief for Western Province, taking three for 25 in 13 overs.

Knights hammer Rocks

The final round’s other game has already been completed with the relegated Free State Knights hammering the Boland Rocks by nine wickets.

Despite a second-wicket partnership of 146 between Pieter Malan (86) and Clyde Fortuin (133), Boland were bowled out for 319 with 23-year-old slow left-armer Monde Maqunqu taking six for 82 in 26.4 overs.

Thanks to his efforts, the Knights were left needing just 39 for victory, with Pite van Biljon and Raynard van Tonder scoring those runs in half-a-dozen overs.

The Northerns Titans gained a 171-run first-innings lead and bought themselves plenty of time to win too with a positive batting display on the second day of their CSA 4-Day Series match against the North-West Dragons at Centurion on Monday.

Having bowled North-West out for just 148 on the first day of the match, Northerns resumed on 18 for one on Monday and batted at 3.91 runs-per-over to post 319 and give themselves a formidable advantage.

They had already claimed a wicket in the North-West second innings by stumps, Matthew Boast having Lesego Senokwane (4) caught in the slips, edging an expansive drive at an away-swinger. The visitors closed on 24 for one as bad light intervened, still trailing by 147 runs.

Left-handed opener Neil Brand set the tone for the Titans up front on Monday, stroking a brisk 54, but it was a fourth-wicket partnership of 89 in 19 overs between Sibonelo Makhanya and Dewald Brevis that gave Northerns control of the game.

Makhanya, given his seniority, played the more responsible role, setting up the innings with his 71 off 134 balls, including 13 fours. But Brevis really took on the North-West bowlers, hammering a dashing 56 off just 64 deliveries, with nine fours and a six.

Brevis had just gone to his maiden first-class half-century with a six, when he sold his wicket to left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy, skying an attempted slog-sweep into the covers.

Muthusamy then capitalised on some more adventurous strokeplay by the lower-order, reducing Northerns from 182 for three to 280 for nine.

Aya Gqamane then produced the most exciting batting of the day as he plundered 40 not out off just 32 deliveries, hitting seven fours and a six.

Muthusamy showed his class though as he wrapped up the innings with six for 62 in 24.4 overs.

Lions

The Central Gauteng Lions had to suck up a lot of pressure on a tough second day of their final CSA 4-Day Series match against the KZN Dolphins in Potchefstroom on Monday, with Lutho Sipamla leading a fine fightback with the ball.

The Dolphins began the second day well-placed on 181 for two, but lost their last eight wickets for just 148 runs to be all out for 329. Sipamla, tightening his grip on the batsmen like a python, claimed two early wickets as the visitors slipped to 197 for five.

Angling the ball into the left-handed Sarel Erwee from around the wicket and then just straightening it a touch, Sipamla had the Proteas opener caught behind for 78.

With his next delivery, Sipamla cramped Khaya Zondo, another Protea, with extra bounce just outside off-stump, leading to a catch at first slip.

Marques Ackerman (97) and Eathan Bosch (63) gave KZN some breathing space with their sixth-wicket stand of 111, before Sipamla returned to break the partnership.

The Proteas paceman surprised Ackerman with some extra bounce, having him caught behind, although the catch was such a dolly that the bowler himself was calling for it.

A full and straight delivery then trapped Prenelan Subrayen lbw and Sipamla had Daryn Dupavillon caught in the slips to finish with highly praiseworthy figures of five for 71 in 23 overs.

In reply, openers Josh Richards (47) and Dominic Hendricks (17) provided yet another solid start for the Lions, adding 55 before Thando Ntini shattered the top-order with a destructive three-wicket burst.

Mitchell van Buuren (22) and Connor Esterhuizen (36) steadied the ship as they batted for more than 20 overs in adding 46 for the fifth wicket.

Tailenders Malusi Siboto (18*) and Sipamla (12) also dug in as the Lions reached 171 for eight at stumps.

WP v EP

At Newlands, Wynberg Boys High product Siya Plaatjie demolished the Western Province lower-order, his sensational five for 19 in 11 overs sending them crashing from 195 for four to 198 all out, giving the Eastern Province Warriors a 154-run first-innings lead.

Zubayr Hamza (54) and George Linde (63) seemed to have matters under control before paceman Plaatjie ran amok.

The Warriors, having scored 352 in their first innings, were 53 for one at stumps, leading by 207.

In Paarl, Matthew Kleinveldt suffered the distress of being stranded on a career-best, great effort of 199 not out when the Free State Knights were bowled out for 493 by the Boland Rocks.

Opener Kleinveldt carried his bat with a monumental 389-ball effort, while Gihahn Cloete also played plenty of fine strokes as he struck a breezy 122 and Migael Pretorius contributed a hard-hit 56.

Leg-spinner Shaun von Berg took five for 101 in 29 overs, but could not prevent his Rocks team from conceding a massive first innings deficit of 281.