Johannesburg, Mar 8 (IANS): A maiden century by Ethan Bosch rescued the Hollywoodbets Dolphins from an innocuous position and in turn helped them close day one of their four-day Domestic Series encounter in control against the Imperial Lions on Sunday.

The all-rounder struck an attacking 104 off 127 balls (16 fours, 2 sixes) as the visitors recovered from 162 for five to 341 for nine at stumps.

There were also important 40s by Keegan Petersen (48), Marques Ackerman (48) and Khaya Zondo (44) as the first-class season resumed after the interval in December.

Both the teams, hoping to win the match in order to keep alive their prospects of reaching the final, battled hard but it was the Dolphins that finished in the stronger position after winning the toss and batting.

Sarel Erwee (26), together with Petersen and Ackerman, helped get their side to 136 for two, before three quick wickets left the total on 162 for five.

But a 119-run sixth-wicket partnership between Zondo and Bosch shifted the tide. The latter then went on to surpass his previous best score of 99 for KwaZulu-Natal against Northerns at Durban in 2017/18 on his way to a first red-ball ton.

Despite being one of three men to fall in the final seven overs, the Dolphins still ended in a strong position.

Lutho Sipamla was the pick of the Lions' bowlers with three for 53, while there were two wickets each for Beuran Hendricks (2/64) and Sisanda Magala (2/56).