The DP World Lions made further gains in their quest for the Division 1 4-Day Series despite drawing their latest match, while there were crucial wins for Hollywoodbets Dolphins and World Sports Betting Western Province over the weekend.

The latter pair made major gains, with the Durban side now up to second on the table after a telling six-wicket win over Renault North West Dragons at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead where Jason Smith scored a rare fourth innings century in a chase of 240.

Batting first on the coast, the visitors scored 311 thanks to half centuries by Raynard Van Tonder (54), Wihan Lubbe (59), Ruan de Swardt (75) and Rubin Hermann (65).

Prenelan Subrayen was the pick of the bowlers with four for 91.

The home side could only reply with 260 – Romashan Pillay top-scoring with 70 and Sarel Erwee hitting 55 – as De Swardt (3/39) and Odirile Modimokoane (3/46) impressed. 

But the game then changed in the next phase as Bryce Parson’s impressive five-for (5/28) left the Dragons all out for 186 and a target of just under 150.

Smith then grabbed the opportunity and knuckled down to score a pivotal 117* (136 balls, 13 fours, 3 sixes), supported by Parsons (36) and Khaya Zondo (48), to take the Dolphins to a key one.

It was a result that lifted them to second on the table with 80.36 points, though still some way off the Lions (97.14).

The Momentum Multiply Titans stayed third after losing their high-profile encounter against Province by seven wickets in Centurion.

Tony de Zorzi (78*) and David Bedingham (67) played a key role in that result, overcoming the loss of some early wickets to share a 123-run third-wicket stand and help their side chase down 187 to win comfortably with more than a day to spare.

Jody Lawrence (3/49 and 4/39) also made his mark with the ball by taking seven wickets in the match as the home side were dismissed for 225 and 211.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius struck a first-innings ton for the Titans when he recorded 103 (157 balls, 13 fours, 1 six), while Dewald Brevis (99) fell one short of a century when he stood man alone in the second innings.

Defeat for the hosts meant they lost ground in the title race and now sit in mid-table on 77.74 points where three teams are right behind them.

Province are one of them in in sixth with 73.54 points. In fourth, right behind the Titans, are Knights (76.76) and Goldrush Boland (75), both of whom saw their weekend games in draws.

In Paarl, a little over 166 overs were only possible in the Boland-Lions clash. The home side batted first and fell for 229. Bjorn Fortuin was the key man for the log-leaders claiming an impressive haul of six for 83, with Clyde Reeves-Fortuin hitting 61.

In reply, the Lions faired marginally better by posting 259. Zubayr Hamza hit 83, while Shaun von Berg collected four for 82.

Finally to Gqeberha where rookie Matthew de Villiers delivered the stand-out batting performance of the weekend when he scored a superb double ton for the Dafabet Warriors in their drawn game against the Knights.

The 24-year-old, in his debut season and playing just his sixth game, scored a free-flowing 201 off 221 balls (28 fours) in the hosts’ second innings total of 349 for five declared.

Both teams struggled when they batted the first time around with the Warriors first making 171 and the Knights then replying with 191.

Johan van Dyk took four for 48 for the side from Bloemfontein and they had veteran Aaron Phangiso to thank for helping them get that 20-run lead after he hit 74.

Beyers Swanepoel excelled for the home team with six for 30.

De Villiers’ double allowed the Warriors to declare on 349 for five and set a 329-victory target.

But time was against them as the Knights finished with 166 for four. Swanepoel (2/33) took two more wickets to finish with eight in the match.

The draw means the Warriors remain winless this season and they stayed bottom with 49.06 points, just under 10 points adrift of the Dragons (58.02).