JOHANNESBURG: Highveld Lions maintained a winning start to the South African Twenty20 Challenge Friday with a seven-run victory against Dolphins in Durban.

Veteran Neil McKenzie top scored with 56 as the Johannesburg-based Lions were all out for 129 in 18.2 overs after Robbie Frylinck took 5-16, but the Dolphins could manage only 122-8 in reply.

There were good knocks for the hosts from David Miller (41) and Vaughn van Jaarsveld (26), but the rest of the batsman were tied down by a Lions attack in which Chris Morris (2-14) and Aaron Phangiso (2-20) had most success.

This victory combined with earlier wins over the Cape Cobras and Titans lifted the Lions to 12 points after three rounds of the national T20 championship - six more than second-place Titans.

A superb unbeaten 46 off 17 balls from Albie Morkel, including five fours and three sixes, steered Titans to a five-wicket triumph away to Warriors in Port Elizabeth.

Warriors made 120-8 thanks largely to unbeaten pair Simon Harmer (39) and Andrew Birch (20) and had Titans in trouble at 61-5 before former South Africa all-rounder Morkel let loose. - AFP

South African Twenty20 Challenge table after Friday matches (played, won, lost, no result, net run rate, points):

Highveld Lions 3 3 0 0 0.496 12

Titans 3 1 1 1 0.095 6

Cape Cobras 2 1 1 0 0.326 4

Warriors 2 1 1 0 0.028 4

Dolphins 2 0 1 1 -0.350 2

Knights 2 0 2 0 -1.109 0 - AFP

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