The Lions took full control on Day Two of their CSA Four-Day Series clash against Western Province at the Wanderers Stadium on Friday.
In what is a repeat of last year’s final, the Lions are currently locked in a heated battle against last season’s runners-up.
Province have not been able to follow up their performance in the drawn match against the Warriors; they were 174/8 at the close of play, and they still trail the home side’s first innings total by 229 runs.
Dominic Hendricks (161) added 59 runs to his overnight score of 102 and helped push the home side into a commanding position as they reached a score of 403/6d (declared).
Hendricks played the anchor role, and he remained not out when Bjorn Fortuin made a surprise declaration during lunch. The 34-year-old had key partnerships with Muhammad Manack (64) after they lost the early wicket of Joshua Richards for a duck.
His 108-run partnership with Manack got the Lions back into the match, and they seized the advantage with a further 132-run partnership with Zubayr Hamza (77).
The home side added 135 runs in the morning session of day two, and they declared their innings following a brief rain delay after lunch.
In response, Province found the Wanderers pitch less generous, and they reached the close of play having lost eight wickets with only 174 runs on the board.
The opening pair of Jonathan Bird (15) and Edward Moore (28) got the visitors off to a fairly decent start with their 40-run opening stand, but the loss of five wickets with only 55 runs added to the score reduced them to 95/6, and they were chasing the game from there on.
Fresh off scoring a match-saving first innings of 152 runs against the Warriors last week, George Linde could not repeat his heroics, but his knock of 46 was the top score in what was a tough day out for the visitors.
Cody Yusuf did the most damage and picked up 4/63, including the key wickets of Moore and Linde.
The right-arm fast bowler, along with Tsepo Moreki (2/48) and Lutho Sipamla (1/24), were accurate in their lines and managed to find assistance from the surface and made it hard for Province to gain any momentum in their batting innings.
Onke Nyaku (25*) and Mthiwekhaya Nabe (8*) showed some resistance, and they were unbeaten when bad light stopped play.
Province will need 29 runs to avoid the follow-on when day three gets underway with two wickets still remaining.