Warriors have the edge against Titans

Spinner Harmer and seamer Walters share six-wicket haul Captain Simon Harmer and Basheer Walters shared six wickets as the Warriors produced a good performance with the ball on the opening day of their Sunfoil Series cricket match against the Titans at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth yesterday. Spinner Harmer took 3/31 in 22.4 overs, while seamer Walters returned figures of 3/41 to restrict the Titans to 227 in their first innings. At stumps, the Warriors had reached 5/1 with EddieMoore (1) and Colin Ackermann (0) at the crease. Michael Price was the wicket to fall. He was caught behind by Heinrich Klaasen off the bowling of Morne Morkel for nil. The Titans won the toss and opted to bat on a strip that had a green tinge to it. It was a brave decision and one that may have had the Titans management wondering if they had made the correct call when they lost Proteas opener Dean Elgar for three in the second over of the game. The left-hander sparred at a delivery from Walters that found the edge through to wicketkeeper Clyde Fortuin and the visitors were 3/1. Grant Mokoena then joined Heino Kuhn at the crease and the duo weathered the early storm. The Warriors bowlers initially struggled to capitalise on that early dismissal. Sisanda Magala did strike in the 14th over, removing Mokoena for a dogged 18. It was a good length delivery which Mokoena edged to Ackermann at first slip. The Titans would have shaded the first session had they not lost Kuhn for 52 only minutes before lunch. He fell leg before to off-spinner Harmer and batted for two hours with seven fours coming off his 75 balls. The Warriors’ attack came back a better unit after lunch and provided little scoring opportunities for the Titans. They quickly picked up the wicket of Henry Davids, who was caught by Fortuin off the bowling of Walters for 20. Walters could have been in the mix again soon after that when he found the edge of Daniel Sincuba’s bat before he had scored. Unfortunately, Harmer grassed the low chance at second slip. Sincuba then knuckled down to provide solid support to Qaasim Adams as the pair put on a 66-run stand for the fifth wicket. It took Ackermann’s off-spin to crack the partnership as Adams (34) lofted a delivery into the safe hands of Magala at mid-off. Harmer picked up his second wicket when he bowled Sincuba with the first ball of his 16th over. At that stage he had only conceded 16 runs. There was a nagging partnership of 46 for the eighth wicket between Klaasen (40) and Malusi Siboto (12) which kept the home team at bay for a while. Walters eventually accounted for Klaasen with the new ball and Harmer also picked up his third wicket, catching Siboto off his own bowling.