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DAY 1 WRAP: Malan, Mgijima fight back for Rocks; Parsons, Smuts shine for Dolphins

cricket14 February 2024 16:31| © MWP
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Pieter Malan © Gallo Images

MALAN AND MGIJIMA FIGHT TO KEEP ROCKS IN THE CONTEST ON DAY ONE

Pieter Malan and Aviwe Mgijima scored valiant half-centuries to keep the Gbets Rocks in the contest in their CSA 4-day Challenge match against the DP World Lions at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, on Wednesday.

The visitors were bowled out for 226. In reply, the Lions were on 47 for one. They trail the Rocks by 179 runs with nine wickets in hand.

Dominic Hendricks (7 off 23) and Codi Yusuf (24 off 29) were at the crease at stumps.

Earlier in the day, Pieter Malan found himself at the crease, in the company of his younger brother, Janneman, after the Rocks' opening pair of Janneman and Maahir Joseph failed to get going.

The opening stand put up a meek 10 runs. It is the third time Janneman Malan has opened with Joseph, and also the third time that they have failed to reach 50 runs as a partnership.

Pieter and Janneman rebuilt the innings with a 100-run partnership, the Rocks' highest partnership in the innings.

That union collapsed in the 39th over when Janneman's 122-ball vigil that yielded 34 runs was brought to an end by Wiaan Mulder.

Pieter was hot on Janneman's heels when he was dismissed 4.5 overs later. From then onwards, the Rocks lost wickets at regular intervals.

Aviwe Mgijima, who came to the crease after Janneman's dismissal, lost three partners in a 15.3-over period as he constructed a valuable 65-run innings.

Mgijima's knock featured seven fours and he faced 90 deliveries during his stay at the crease.

The 35-year-old who is enjoying a purple patch in 4-day cricket scored a classy century in the Rocks' last match before the December break.

Jean du Plessis (15) and Nathan Engelbrecht (11) were the only other batters to reach double figures while the rest of the batting line-up was dismissed for single figures.

Bjorn Fortuin was the Lions' most successful bowler. The spinner bossed the post-tea session, claiming the valuable wicket of Mgijima to put the Rocks on the back foot.

Fortuin took four wickets for 69 runs in 25.1 overs. Delano Potgieter was also good, taking three wickets for 55 runs in 13 overs.

LIONS: Joshua Richards, Dominic Hendricks, Ryan Rickelton, Temba Bavuma, Mitchell van Buuren, Wandile Makwetu, Delano Potgieter, Bjorn Fortuin, Malusi Siboto, Codi Yusuf.

ROCKS: Janneman Malan, Maphier Joseph, Pieter Malan (c), Nathan Engelbrecht, Aviwe Mgijima, Mickey Copeland, Hardus Viljoen, Jean du Plessis, Glenton Stuurman, Siyabonga Mahima, Achille Cloete

PARSONS AND SMUTS SCORE CENTURIES TO PUT DOLPHINS IN CONTROL

Bryce Parsons and Jon-Jon Smuts scored brilliant centuries to put the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in control of their CSA 4-day Challenge match against the North West Dragons at the JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom.

 

At stumps, the visitors were on 485 for five wickets.

Jon-Jon Smuts was at the crease, unbeaten on 142, in the company of Andile Phehlukwayo who was on seven from 39 balls.

Parsons celebrated his birthday in style, registering a new career-best first-class score of 191 in a 179-ball innings that featured 25 fours and four sixes.

The 23-year-old bettered his unbeaten 134, scored in 2023, a year to the day.

Parsons's immaculately paced innings was a masterclass in batting in Potchefstroom.

His strike rate rose as his innings progressed. It was around the 70 per cent mark when he reached 50, around the 89 per cent mark as he closed in on the ton and closer to 100 per cent strike rate after he registered his century.

Parsons' strike rate between 110 and 191 did not dip below the 100 per cent mark.

His partner, Smuts, was happy to play the role of the foil to his attacking approach.

However, that is not to suggest that Smuts was playing a blockathon. The 35-year-old allrounder was scoring at a lively 75 per cent strike rate as he cruised to his 10th first-class century.

Smuts carved 23 fours on his way to an unbeaten 142 off 159.

A DAY OF CHASING LEATHER

Parsons and Smuts joined forces in the 33rd over after the dismissal of Jason Smith.

The Dragons took two wickets in two balls in the over, dismissing a belligerent Marques Ackerman who had raced to an adrenaline-filled 82 off 69 balls courtesy of Duan Jansen.

The home side would have had their tails up, happy to see the back of Ackerman. Up until that point, they had control of the game having dismissed Sarel Erwee for 36 and Tshepang Dithole and Smith for eight and zero.

Then the Parsons-Smuts partnership happened. Their 293-run fifth-wicket partnership saw the Dolphins past the 450-run mark.

Duan Jansen was the standout bowler for the Dragons on a day when the home side chased leather.

The lanky left-armer took two wickets for 60 runs in 15 overs. Bamanye Xenxe, who also took a brace of wickets, did so at a higher economy rate of 5.27 runs an over.

Lesego Senokwane was the most economical bowler, conceding a mere seven runs in four overs.

DRAGONS :Lesego Senokwane, Lesiba Ngoepe, Rubin Hermann, Wihan Lubbe (C), Migael Pretorius, Taheer Isaacs (wk), Duan Jansen, Bamanye Xenxe, Kerwin Mungroo, Gideon Peters.

DOLPHINS: Sarel Erwee (c), Tshepang Dithole, Marques Ackerman, Bryce Parsons, Jason Smith, Jon-Jon Smuts, Andile Phehlukwayo, Prenelan Subrayen, Andile Simelane, Daryn Dupavillon, Okuhle Cele.

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