Lutho Sipamla of the Lions during Day 3 of the CSA 4-Day Series cricket match against the Northwest Dragons at the Imperial Wanderes Stadium in Johannesburg Lutho Sipamla of the Lions during Day 3 of the CSA 4-Day Series cricket match against the Northwest Dragons at the Imperial Wanderes Stadium in Johannesburg. BackpagePix
Image: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix
Lions: 413/7 (Zubayr Hamza 103; Janco Smit 3/84)
Titans: 17/3 (Neil Brand 9; Lutho Sipamla 2/8)
Titans trail by 396 runs with seven wickets remaining
The Lions are well ahead of the game after Day Three of the Four-Day Series Final against the Titans at the Wanderers Stadium.
Having posted a first innings total of 413/7 declared, the Lions bowling attack made a brilliant start with the new ball with fast bowlers Lutho Sipamla and Codi Yusuf continued their lethal new ball partnership in the competition.
Having created pressure with tight lines and lengths, the Lions had their first breakthrough through Bjorn Fortuin, who accounted for Joshua van Heerden (1) in the fourth over.
On the stroke of close of play, Sipamla delivered a double blow to the Titans' batting unit as the quick trapped Neil brand (9) leb-before-wicket.
Hesitant to send a night watchmen, the Titans sent in the in-form Dewald Brevis to face a fired-up Sipamla in the dwindling light late on Day three, and Sipamla made the visitors pay as he had Brevis caught behind by Wandile Makwetu to hand the Lions their third scalp of the day.
Soon after, the umpires stopped play due to bad light, leaving the Titans to survive to fight another day while the Lions are well ahead of the game heading into Day Four on Sunday.
While Sipamla (2/8) and Fortuin (1/5) were brilliant with the ball, it was the Lions' batting unit that set the side up for an impressive day of play.
Zubayr Hamza, playing in his 100th First-Class match, batted for over six hours for his 18th century in red ball cricket.
The 29-year-old was watchful in his innings but made it a point to punish the Titans bowlers when they strayed in line and length.
Mitchell van Buuren (72), Fortuin (62) and Delano Potgieter (48*) played important knocks to help the Lions reach 413 runs in the first innings.
Titans fast bowler Janco Smit, playing in only his second First-Class match, was the most impressive bowler in the Titans attack as he returned figures of 3/84.
With two days left in the contest, the experienced Titans batter Keegan Petersen (5*) will look to lead from the front on Sunday and try to get the Titans out of trouble.