Frustrating day for the Titans and Cobras in Centurion

It was a frustrating stop-start day of cricket at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday with the Cape Cobras eventually able to claim the advantage as they finished the second day on 100 for three in reply to the Titans’ first innings of 195 all out.

The Cobras claimed the last seven Titans wickets for just 81 runs, getting the home side all out 18 minutes after lunch, but then suffered a wobble of their own as they slipped to 37 for three in between the two delays for bad light that interrupted their innings.

But when play was eventually halted for the day by rain at 4.19pm, Justin Ontong and Jason Smith had added 63 for the fourth wicket off 101 balls.

It could have all been so different had Heino Kuhn managed to hang on to a two-handed catch to his left at second slip off Malusi Siboto when Smith had just 13 and the Cobras were 65 for three.

Smith went on to reach stumps on 33 not out, while Ontong has 24 not out. The pair had stroked eight boundaries between them and one could sense the fraying Titans were not too upset when the umpires took them off the field for the last time on Friday.

The day did not start at all well for them either as, without adding a run to their overnight tally of 114 for three, Kuhn was run out for eight thanks to the slick fielding skills of Ontong.

Grant Mokoena was all defiance as he and a determined Heinrich Klaasen then added 41 for the fifth wicket in 51 minutes, before Mokoena, having dug in for two hours in scoring 18, suddenly flashed at Smith and was caught behind.

Jonathan Vandiar (6) no doubt received a mouthful from coach Mark Boucher after he just lamely drove Smith to cover to leave the Titans on 161 for six, and then Lizaad Williams chipped in with two quick wickets.

Williams had sprayed the ball around badly when given the new ball on the first day, but he was superb on Friday morning in a spell of 9-5-12-2, having David Wiese (4) very well caught by Dane Piedt in the covers and Siboto caught at square-leg, mistiming a pull, for one.

Klaasen, however, looks a well-organised player and he managed to get to his third half-century of the season by hitting Rory Kleinveldt for two sixes straight back over his head.

Kleinveldt had his revenge though when he had Klaasen caught behind for 52 soon after lunch and the Titans were all out for 195.

Williams finished with three for 46 in 16 overs and Tshepo Moreki took three for 37 in 12.3 overs.

The Cobras’ reply was interrupted by bad light when they were 14 without loss in the fourth over, and Omphile Ramela (9) seemed distracted by the break as he cut the third ball after the resumption straight to deep point, to be caught by Aiden Markram off Rowan Richards.

Andrew Puttick (9) was then undone by a short ball from Richards, gloving a hook through to wicketkeeper Klaasen, and Wiese then picked up the prized scalp of Stiaan van Zyl for just 12, the left-hander being caught in the slips.

The left-armer Richards, using the short ball well, has been the outstanding Titans bowler with two for 16 in seven overs.

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