Durban – Keshav Maharaj claimed five wickets for the Dolphins and CJ de Villers struck a second half-century of the game for the Titans as both rounded off victories in their domestic four-day encounters in Durban and Kimberley respectively early on Sunday.
Slow left-armer Maharaj (5/61) took three of the remaining four wickets that were needed on the final morning at Kingsmead as the Warriors were beaten by an innings and 45 runs after being bowled out for 208 just over an hour into day four.
Warriors captain Davy Jacobs was the last man standing after an unbeaten 64 as his side slumped to a first loss of the season, while the Dolphins, buoyed by winning the domestic T20 challenge a week earlier, jumped to second on the log.
The men from Port Elizabeth had resumed the day needing 85 more to make the home side bat again on 168 for six.
Jacobs, unbeaten on 43, quickly went to his 27th first-class 50
in 102 deliveries, before overnight partner Simon Harmer, who had frustrated the Dolphins the night before, finally fell in the seventh over of the day.
Maharaj, who had a match haul of nine for 99, grabbed the breakthrough when he enticed the batsman to chase a floated delivery that was skied and well taken by David Miller coming in from deep mid-off for 29.
That ended the partnership on 76, and after that wicket, the tail folded.
Daryn Smit (1-24) accounted for Andrew Birch (four), mistiming to Daryn Dupavillon at mid-on, while Rusty Theron (two) was caught at leg slip by Khaya Zondo off Maharaj.
The 200 then came up in the 80th over, before Basheer Walters (eight) was last man out when he was caught off Maharaj at mid on by Cody Chetty with the Warriors all out in 83 overs.
Meanwhile at the Diamond Oval in the northern Cape, the Titans lost only one more wicket on day four as they knocked off the 108
that were required before lunch to beat the Knights.
They started the day on 48 for two and went past the 100 in the 30th over, before losing captain Henry Davids (19) Ä caught by Rilee Rossouw running back from slip off Werner Coetsee.
De Villiers, who made 57 in the first innings, was sent in as a nightwatchman the evening before, but batted like a top-order stalwart to reach 50 in 88 balls.
Farhaan Behardien (23) then helped him take the Pretoria side to their victory target of 156 in 46 overs as the Titans moved off the bottom of the table. – Sapa