Pretoria - A brisk knock of 87 by Roelof van der Merwe helped the Titans reach 268 for seven on day one of their domestic four day match against the Knights at SuperSport Park in Centurion, on Thursday.
Van der Merwe notched up his highest score in first class cricket at almost a run a ball, taking 91 deliveries for his innings and striking 13 fours.
The number four batsman came to the wicket with his side on 44
for two, and put on 38 for the fourth wicket before partner Qaasim Adams was out to Quinton Friend for 17.
Van der Merwe was then joined by Mangaliso Mosehle (42) and together they put on a 95 run fifth wicket partnership from 123
balls.
Van der Merwe was out 13 runs short of his maiden first class ton, as he was dismissed by Friend flashing outside off and caught behind by Rudi Second, with the Titans on 183 for five.
Mosehle departed soon after with the Titans on 205, as he edged Corne Dry to gully as the Titans lost their sixth wicket.
Shaun von Berg (32) was the last wicket to fall on the day, as Friend picked up his fourth scalp.
At the close of play, David Wiese (24) and JP de Villiers (0) were unbeaten at the crease.
Friend was the pick of the bowlers as he returned figures of 4/55.
Earlier, opener Heino Kuhn made 37 before he was out to Werner Coetsee.
Fellow opener Ernest Kemm (3) was out cheaply, attempting to pull Friend but edged behind.
Henry Davids (8) had survived some fierce bowling by the Knights, but lost composure with a wild slash off Johan van der Wath, caught behind.
In Cape Town, Stiaan van Zyl scored his third century of the season as the Cobras were 282 for five against the Warriors at stumps.
Van Zyl was summoned to the crease early on as the Cobras lost their first wicket with 14 on the board.
Wickets continued to fall until Dane Vilas (86) marched to the middle.
Together Van Zyl and Vilas put on 163 for the fifth wicket in 38.2 overs.
David White made the breakthrough for the Warriors when he removed Vilas, caught Colin Ackermann in the 66th over of the day.
At the close of play Van Zyl (116) and Justin Kemp (30) were the unbeaten batsmen.
Rusty Theron returned the best figures for the Warriors with 2/61.
In Durban, heavy early morning rain turned out to be decisive as the opening day between the Dolphins and Highveld Lions had to be abandoned at Kingsmead.
Despite the weather improving through the day and the covers off for some parts of it, the cloud cover was heavy and the light poor, while drizzle also fell intermittently.
Umpires Johan Cloete and Allahudien Paleker had several inspections, but deemed the conditions unsuitable for any play to be possible.
The home side were third on the table heading into the clash, while the visitors were fifth with two games of the season remaining.
Sapa