Theunis hits all doubts for a six
PROTEAS BATSMAN: FALLS FIVE SHORT OF DOUBLE TON
Titans maintain their grip over the Dolphins.
Knights captain Theunis de Bruyn ensured that any pressure there was on him to retain his Test place has surely vanished as his magnificent 195 gave the defending champions complete control of their Sunfoil Series match against the Cape Cobras in Bloemfontein yesterday.
De Bruyn needed just 259 deliveries for his innings and he shared a second-wicket stand of 295 with Keegan Petersen (141) as the Knights piled up 551 for four on the second day.
Rudi Second and Werner Coetsee added unbeaten half-centuries as they left the Knights with a 392-run lead over an uninspired Cobras side.
The commanding display by the Knights will rob some of the thunder from the Titans, who produced another strong day’s work to put themselves in a dominant position against the Dolphins at Centurion.
The Dolphins ended the day on 232 for six, still 219 runs behind the Titans’ first innings of 451 for seven declared.
Henry Davids made 57 before the Titans declared 35 minutes before lunch, and then his late strike to bowl Andile Phehlukwayo for 37 really hurt the Dolphins as it ended a threatening sixth-wicket stand of 72 with Morne van Wyk (32*).
Vaughn van Jaarsveld struck some damaging blows in his 53 after the Dolphins had been reduced to 32 for two, but Malusi Siboto added his wicket, as well as that of the other leading run-scorer, Cody Chetty (41), to go with his 40 not out with the bat earlier.
The Highveld Lions had their own sob story at the Wanderers as the Warriors plundered 503 for eight declared and then Sisanda Magala hooked two wickets, including Stephen Cook lbw for 20, as the home side closed on 91 for two in reply.
The Warriors had started the second day on 269 for four after openers Ed Moore (115) and David White (94) had provided the most solid of starts with their partnership of 179, and captain Jon-Jon Smuts threw the book at the Lions bowlers as he belted 117 off 149 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes.