Pieter Malan’s half-century helps Boland keep Titans at bay as rain washes out Four-Day Series action

Experienced Boland batter Pieter Malan’s unbeaten half-century kept the Titans bowling attack at bay on day one of their Four-Day Series clash at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday.

Playing in his 200th first-class match, Malan walked in to open the batting alongside Grant Roelofsen as the visiting Boland side won the toss and opted to bat first.

Malan, fresh from 41st first-class century in the previous round of games, continued his rich vein of form, keeping Titans opening bowlers Junior Dala and Dayyaan Galiem quiet in the opening session.

Malan and Roelofsen guided the visitors to lunch unscathed, with the score at 80/0, having had the upper hand at the start of the match.

The momentum switched in the second session, with the Titans’ bowling attack employing new strategies and eventually getting the reward as they removed Roelofsen (44) and Gavin Kaplan (0) in the same over.

Sniffing blood and vulnerability in the visiting batting unit, the Titans bowlers put on more pressure, and eventually claimed the breakthrough with two more wickets of the in-form Aviwe Mgijima (1) and Clyde Fortuin (0).

Boland captain Ferisco Adams looked the part for his 26-ball 12 as he took a liking to Titans captain Neil Brand’s spin-bowling.

However, Brand would get the better of him later, handing the hosts their fifth wicket of the day.

All the while Malan remained resolute as Janco Smit (2/26), Dala (1/32), and Galiem (1/35) searched for the prized wicket.

Due to inclement weather, stumps were called early, and Boland finished on 156/5, with Malan unbeaten on 78 off 155 balls, a knock which saw the 35-year-old strike 12 fours.

No play in Bloem for Knights and Lions due to bad weather

* Meanwhile, Proteas Test captain Temba Bavuma’s highly anticipated return to domestic cricket was delayed at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein due to bad weather.

Bavuma was in line to feature in the Lions playing XI as they take on the Knights in the last round of the round-robin fixtures.

The Lions are on the hunt for a home final as they sit at the top of the Four-Day Series log, while the Knights look to avoid relegation.

* The North West Dragons versus Western Province encounter in Potchefstroom was also affected by rain, with not a single ball being delivered on Thursday.