HAASBROEK POWERS IMPALAS TO VICTORY
Ruan Haasbroek powered Limpopo Impalas to a six-wicket win over Eastern Cape Iinyathi in their CSA Four-Day Series Division two match at Buffalo Park, East London, on Saturday.
On day one, Joshua van Heerden scored an assured 99 runs from 131 balls as he led Eastern Cape Iinyathi to 245 after they had been asked to bat first by the visitors.
In reply, the Impalas stumbled their way through the innings until Thomas Hobson (77), Morne Venter (46) and Louren Steenkamp (63) arrived at the crease. The trio put up performances that helped the Impalas reach 305.
In Eastern Cape Iinyathi's second innings, Haasbroek ran amok. The spinner took a career-best seven wickets for 60 runs in 27 overs as he provided a spin-bowling masterclass in front of a hapless Eastern Cape Iinyathi batting line-up.
Only two Eastern Cape Iinyathi batters, Jerry Nqolo (61) and Thomas Kaber (46), reached double figures during the Haasbroek one-man show that was Eastern Cape Iinyathi's second innings.
Haasbroek also recorded his career-best bowling figures in a match with nine wickets for 117 runs in 39 overs. Coming into this match, Haasbroek's career-best bowling figures in an innings were five wickets for 105 runs. Those were also his career-best bowling figures in a match.
The Impalas restricted Eastern Cape Iinyathi to 140 and had to chase a paltry 81 runs to secure victory.
The Impalas lost four wickets, thanks to some outstanding bowling by Thomas Kaber as they chased down the 81 runs they needed to secure victory. Haasbroek and Thomas Hobson top-scored with scores of 26 runs each.
Eastern Cape Iinyathi started the day with hopes for one or two significant partnerships that would provide them with a firm foothold on the game.
But Haasbroek had other ideas. The 25-year-old former North West Dragons spinner turned the match on its head and saw to it that the hosts were four wickets down by the 14th over.
First, van Heerden mistimed Haasbroek's delivery and sent it straight to Ludwig Kaestner at short midwicket for an easy catch.
Then he executed an excellent run out of Yikha off his own bowling with the help of Morne Venter three deliveries later. 4.1 overs after Yikha's dismissal, Haasbroek struck again. This time luring Marco Marais into a slog sweep that he had no control over.
Jerry Nqolo and Thomas Kaber were the first Eastern Cape Iinyathi batters to reach double figures. Nqolo did not just get to double figures, he batted his way to a brisk 15th first-class half-century that came off just under 80 balls. Nqolo's knock was brought to a halt by the Impalas' man on fire, Haasbroek.
Haasbroek was having the kind of day many bowlers dream about. After dismissing Nqolo, he went in to claim four more scalps in quick succession.
He dismissed Mncedisi Malika, Jade de Klerk and Gideon Peters for ducks and Phaphama Fojela had managed only two runs from 29 deliveries.
With Haasbroek running wild and wickets tumbling around him, Thomas Kaber's hope to reach a 12th first-class half-century lay in Sinovuyo Ntuntwana surviving for long enough for him to score the four runs he needed.
It was too big an ask. Ntuntwana was dismissed on the third delivery he faced. Kaber was left stranded on 46 from 140.
NTULI PUTS HEAT IN CONTROL
Tshepo Ntuli ran through Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers' top order to help Northern Cape Heat take control of their CSA Four-Day Series Division two match at Recreation Ground, Oudtshoorn, on Saturday.
Ntuli bagged four wickets for 64 runs in 24 overs as Northern Cape Heat restricted the hosts to 132 for six wickets. At stumps, the Badgers had Onke Nyaku (37*) and Sean Whitehead (0*) at the crease. The Badgers need 274 runs to win.
In their first innings, the Badgers crumbled to 125 runs thanks to some outstanding bowling by Benjamin van Rensburg and Ernest Kemm.
The Badgers' score was in reply to Northern Cape Heat's first innings score of 274. After restricting the Badgers to 125, Northern Cape Heat declared on 256, after building a 405-run lead.
The Badgers got a good start to their second innings before they suffered a top-order collapse that left their quest for victory in a precarious position.
Openers Matthew Christensen (13) and Blayde Capell (35) almost saw the Badgers through to 50 runs. But, Tshepo Ntuli struck in the 18th over with the dismissal of Christensen.
When he came back for his ninth over, four overs later, Ntuli struck twice in three deliveries to send the hosts reeling at 55 for three after 22 overs.
The Badgers looked in danger of failing to bat through day three when Jhedli van Briesies had to depart 4.1 overs later.
The hosts now needed Onke Nyaku and Jean du Plessis to dig deep and construct a significant fifth-wicket partnership that would dig them out of the hole they found themselves in.
Just when it looked like they had cracked the code, Nyaku and Du Plessis' 46-run partnership broke down. Ntuli had struck again.
The 27-year-old spinner broke through Du Plessis's defences and clean-bowled him for 17 from 40. Hanno Kotze almost survived till the end of the day's play.
Unfortunately for both the Badgers and the 28-year-old allrounder, he was dismissed shortly before the close of play. At stumps, the Badgers had Onke Nyaku (37*) and Sean Whitehead (0*) at the crease.
Tshepo Ntuli was outstanding with the ball as he bagged his fifth first-class four-wicket haul. Ntuli was supported by Ernest Kemm, who took two wickets for 49 runs in 20 overs.
On the morning of day three, Jason Oakes (6) did not have enough time to settle into the innings before Onke Nyaku showed him the way back to the dressing room.
Oakes faced 15 deliveries and added one run to his overnight score before he was replaced by Rivaldo Moonsamy at the crease.
Moonsamy and Mahlangu consolidated and set Northern Cape Heat back on course with a wonderful 80-run third-wicket partnership.
During the course of the partnership, Mahlangu struck four fours as he batted his way to a 16th first-class half-century. His 69 came off 196 deliveries.
2.3 overs after Mahlangu's dismissal, Moonsamy brought up his 16th first-class half-century in style. A slog sweep over fine leg for six.
Three balls after reaching the milestone, Moonsamy edged a Pheko Moletsane delivery to Blayde Capell at leg slip for a regulation catch.
Moletsane took another crucial wicket 5.5 overs later when he dismissed Northern Cape Heat's seasoned campaigner Grant Thomson (27).
Hanu Viljoen (32*) and Kelly Smuts (29*) got together for an unbeaten 61-run sixth-wicket partnership that saw Northern Cape Heat to 256. They declared their innings at that point.
Pheko Moletsane was the pick of the bowlers for the Badgers with three wickets for 91 runs in 25 overs. Onke Nyaku and Basheeru-Deen Walters took a wicket each.
KOK STARS WITH BAT AND BALL FOR RHINOS
Alexander Kok scored a measured half-century and took two early wickets to put Mpumalanga Rhinos in a good position in their CSA Four-Day Series Division two match against Eastern Storm at Willowmoore Park on Saturday.
Kok scored the Rhinos' second half-century of the innings to help them reach 350 runs. Yassar Cook led the way with a fantastic 87 runs from 97 balls in an innings that featured nine fours and two sixes.
Kok picked up from where Cook left off as he struck eight fours and a single six on his way to 76 runs from 100 deliveries. The effort helped the Rhinos establish a 287-run lead over Eastern Storm.
In the first innings, Mpumalanga Rhinos scored 304 after being asked to bat first and Eastern Storm replied with 368.
Late on day three, Kok proved to be the inevitable man. After scoring a second consecutive half-century in the match, the 24-year-old spun the Rhinos into a strong position with two quick wickets.
Kok dismissed the big-hitting Mark Pearse (3) and Aron Visser (0) in three deliveries. At stumps, Eastern Storm were on 30 for two wickets.
Earlier in the day, Divan Posthumus had the Rhinos backed up against the ropes. The 28-year-old struck twice in two overs to dismiss Tumi Koto (35) and Muhammed Mayet (2). He clean-bowled both batters. Koto with an excellent yorker and Mayet with a length ball that beat the outside edge.
The Rhinos seemed to have their innings back on track when Benjamin van Niekerk (49) and Yassar Cook got together at the crease.
Van Niekerk was looking good for a third first-class half-century and will consider himself unlucky to have missed out on the milestone by a single run. Van Niekerk had been part of a 45-run partnership with Cook.
After van Niekerk's dismissal, Cook struggled to find a partner with the ability to stay at the crease with him for an extended period.
He shared two minor partnerships with Jurie Snyman and Rubin Hermann worth 24 and 27 runs respectively. The partnerships spanned over 12.5 overs.
It was during the course of his partnership with Hermann that he reached his 16th first-class half-century.
Cook was looking good for a fifth first-class century. He was seeing the ball like a beach ball. The 29-year-old former Gauteng Lions man was 13 runs away from the milestone when he was dismissed by Divan Posthumus.
Cook's dismissal opened the door for Eastern Storm to regain control of the game.
Eastern Storm's bowlers had their tails up and 7.3 overs later, they had the Rhinos seven wickets down with the dismissal of Kieran Kenny (6).
Just as he did in the first innings, Kok produced another fine performance. The 24-year-old needed only 71 deliveries as he made his way to a second consecutive half-century.
The 50 is his third first-class half-century. And like in the first innings, he was in the company of Jon Hinrichsen.
However, unlike the first innings, Hinrichsen was unable to bring up another half-century. He was dismissed for a well-played 37 off 44.
Just as in the first innings, a maiden first-class century remained elusive for Kok. He was left stranded on 87 in the first innings and was dismissed for 78 in the second.
After Kok's dismissal, Lindokuhle Pawuli and Thula Ngcobo's 10th-wicket partnership added 20 runs to the total.
Divan Posthumus was the standout bowler for Eastern Storm. The 28-year-old, who is playing in his eighth first-class match took his maiden five-wicket haul.
He bagged five wickets for 85 runs in 22.3 overs. He also recorded his career-best bowling figures in a match with six wickets for 152 runs in 32.3 overs.
