Double ton for classy Hashim

Hashim Amla's class is never in question, but he proved it again yesterday with a chanceless double century that oozed quality, confidence and grace.

Amla scored 208 in the Dolphins' total of 567 for nine declared.

When bad light ended play the Lions were 27 without loss in their second innings - still 181 behind the visitors.

At his best Amla doesn't simply show why he is among the finest batsmen in the game. Instead, he delivers a masterclass that allows all who see it to realise how much talent and skill he harbours in that deceptively unthreatening frame. Yesterday was such a day.

A serene Amla went to his hundred on the stroke of the first hour with a square drive for four off Craig Alexander.

Vaughn van Jaarsveld, by contrast, bristled with belligerence and his bat bore the brunt. Cracked from toe to shoulder, the ragged report of its gunshots ricocheted around the cavernous, desolate Wanderers on a bleak, wintry day.

Armed after lunch with a bat all in one piece, Van Jaarsveld strode to his century with a meaty straight drive for four off Cliffe Deacon. Eighty-eight of his runs had come in boundaries.

Deacon took his revenge two overs later when he had Van Jaarsveld gobbled up in the gully for 103 to end the stand at 200.

That brought Ahmed Amla to the crease. A year ago to the day, in the previous match the brothers Amla played together, both were dismissed for ducks by the Knights in Kimberley. Ahmed suffered a similar fate yesterday, trapped plumb in front by Shane Burger without scoring to separate the siblings after facing just five deliveries together.

Amla the younger's double century arrived before tea, courtesy of a ripping pull for four off Ethan O'Reilly. He was out 12 balls into the third session when he hung out a tired bat to the same bowler and was caught behind.

In Centurion, the Knights have seven wickets in hand with which to score the 25 runs they still need to beat the Titans.

Jacques Rudolph added a measured 54 to the rampant 80 he made in the first innings, stoking his rivalry with Alviro Petersen - who scored 186 in almost eight hours of diligent application for the Lions on Thursday and Friday - for a Proteas opening berth.

Rudolph grabbed more of the glory with sumptuous strokes. But yesterday Rudolph was upstaged by Henry Davids, whose 95 was immaculate confection.

But it was Dean Elgar's four for 27 that wrapped up the Titans' second innings for 270 and set the Knights a target of 98. At 73 for three bad light ended play.