Boland were firmly in control of their four day Supersport Series match against Free State at the close of play on the second day at Boland Park in Paarl on Saturday.

At stumps on day two, Free State were 184 for four in their second innings, still 44-runs shy of Boland's first innings total of 330.

Boland resumed the second day at 217 for two in reply to Free State's first innings of 102, but soon lost the wicket of South African 'A' player Justin Ontong who was caught behind by wicketkeeper Gerard Brophy for 16.

Pieter Barnard could only add 12 to his overnight score of 108, before being cramped by seamer Dewald Pretorius and subsequently forcing a catch to Morne van Wyk at short leg. It was the end of a superb innings - his ninth century in first class cricket.

Boland could have scored more after going into the lunch break at 312 for five, but a dramatic collapse in the afternoon saw them lose five wickets for the addition of just 18 runs after the luncheon interval.

Skipper Louis Koen, batting with a badly bruised finger, scored a quickfire 41 off just 62 balls, but once he was caught at long on trying to force the pace against the bowling of slow right-arm Kosie Venter the innings came to an abrupt end.

As the tail was mopped up, Free State's second innings was off to a good start with openers Gerhardus Liebenberg and Andrew Gain put on 40 for the first wicket.

Gain was first to go, caught by keeper Steve Palframan off Brad Player for 18. It started a minor collapse as Liebenberg and then Van Wyk followed soon after, taking the score to 52 for three at tea.

But a 112-run fourth wicket stand between Louis Wilkinson and Kosie Venter steadied the boat and set Free State on their way to avoiding an innings defeat.

Wilkinson scored a flamboyant 89 off just 119 balls that included 12 boundaries. He unfortunately perished just before the close when he attempted to cut right-arm seamer Andrew Pringle. The catch was snapped up by Ontong at point to put the visitors on the back foot once again.

Venter and captain Brophy guided the Free Staters to the close with an unbeaten 20-run stand and will resume on Sunday still needing 44-runs to avoid an innings defeat.

© CricInfo