Tuskers and Rhinos ahead after day one

KOEKEMOER CENTURY KEEPS TUSKERS IN THE MATCH

Tian Koekemoer starred with the bat with a sensational century for the AET Tuskers on the first day of their 4-Day encounter against Eastern Storm at Willowmoore Park, Benoni, on Thursday. After losing early wickets, Tuskers fought to 257 for seven before play was stopped due to bad light late in the day.

Koekemoer scored 47.85 per cent of Tuskers' total.

After winning the toss and choosing to bowl first, Eastern Storm put Tuskers under pressure from the first over. Their opening bowlers made early inroads and had the visitors on the back foot in the second over when the KZN side lost Thamsanqa Kumalo. The 23-year-old left-hander was dismissed by Amaan Khan for a six-ball duck. Tuskers’ woes continued when Cameron Shekleton became the second casualty of the day six deliveries later.

Shekleton’s wicket was accounted for by Khan's opening bowling partner, Nico van Zyl. The 22-year-old wicketkeeper hit only a single boundary before he had to depart after an 11-ball four runs.

Tuskers captain Michael Erlank and allrounder Tian Koekemoer set about rebuilding the innings and did a tremendous job of it. The pair put together a 122-run third-wicket partnership over a 38-over period. The dangerous partnership was eventually broken by Amaan Khan. Erlank departed after registering his 32nd first-class half-century. His 58 runs off 118 deliveries featured 10 fours and no sixes.

Experienced campaigner Malcolm Nofal joined Koekemoer at the crease after Erlank's dismissal. Nofal combined with Koekemoer for a 48-run stay before their fledgling partnership was broken by van Zyl. Nofal’s wicket fell after he had scored 20 runs from 34 balls.

Koekemoer lost his next partner a mere seven overs later. Andile Mogakane came to the crease with Koekemoer approaching his century while Tuskers were closing in on 200 runs. Mogakane, a former SA under-19 player, only stuck around for long enough to see Tuskers past 200. When Mogakane was dismissed for his 23-ball nine runs, Tuskers were on 202 for four and Koekemoer was on 99.

Mogakane’s dismissal did very little to distract Koekemoer from the task at hand, that is, the pursuit of his fourth first-class century.

Two overs after Mogakane's dismissal, Koekemoer hit a four to bring up his 100. Koekemoer's fabulous innings eventually came to a close in the 75th over when he was dismissed by Mykyle Pillay. Koekemoer fell seven runs short of his highest first-class score of 130. In his game-changing innings, Koekemoer stroked 15 fours and a single six - Tuskers' only six of the day - as he compiled a magnificent 123 runs from 205 deliveries.

Koekemoer was replaced by another allrounder in the form of Keith Dudgeon. The 26-year-old Dudgeon has a high score of 88 but was unable to reach his first-class average of 17 runs before he was dismissed. Dudgeon fell to Simelane's bowling after scoring only three runs.

When play was stopped due to bad light, Dilivio Ridgaard (18*) and Alandile Mhletywa (1*) were at the crease at stumps.

Nico van Zyl was Eastern Storm's most successful bowler with two wickets from 16 overs at an economy of 2.31 runs an over. Amaan Khan and Tumelo Simelane also took two each, but at a higher economy rate of 2.33 and 3.50 runs an over.

TUSKERS: Cameron Dean Shekleton, Thamsanqa Kumalo, Michael Erlank (c), Tian Koekemoer, Malcolm Nofal, Andile Mokgakane, Dilivio Ridgaard (wk), Keith Dudgeon, Alindile Mhletywa, Stefan Tait, Kurtlyn Mannikam.

EASTERN STORM: Amaan Khan, Tumelo Simelane, Mekyle Pillay, Mangaliso Mosehle (wk), Shane Dadswell, Divan Posthumus, Kabelo Sekhukhune, Aron Visser, Nico van Zyl, Mark Pearse, Wesley Coulentianos (c)

COOK PLAYS CAPTAIN'S KNOCK TO KEEP RHINOS IN THE GAME

Yassar Cook played a captain’s knock to lead Mpumalanga Rhinos to a respectable total on day one of their four-day encounter against Northern Cape Heat at Uplands College on Thursday. Cook scored a sensational 163 runs as he almost single-handedly led the Rhinos to a total of 372 for the loss of eight wickets.

Northern Cape Heat won the toss and chose to bowl first.

Mpumalanga Rhinos ran into some turbulence early into their innings when Grant Thomson took the wickets of Tumelo Koto and Blake Schraader, the Rhinos captain early into the Rhinos’ innings. First to depart was Koto, who did not trouble the scorers for his two-ball duck. Koto's opening partner, Schrader, soon followed him back to the dressing room after facing 23 deliveries for three runs.

Muhammad Mayet and Yassar Cook did a decent job of trying to rebuild the innings with a 50-run partnership that lasted for over 10 overs. Mayet's innings was cut short when Johan van Dyk bowled him for 19 from 52 balls. Cook's new partner, 25-year-old wicketkeeper Rubin Hermann, did not last long. The left-hander was out in the middle for just under three-and-a-half overs. In that period, he faced 15 deliveries and was dismissed by Van Dyk for five runs.

Following Hermann's dismissal, Cook had a willing partner in rebuilding the Rhinos' innings in Benjamin van Niekerk. With Van Niekerk providing valuable support, Cook marched to a career-best 163 runs off 209 deliveries as the pair enjoyed a fruitful fifth-wicket partnership that bellied the Rhinos’ struggles with the bat. With his 163 runs, Cook scored nine runs to better his previous high score of 154.

For his part, Van Niekerk played a patient knock, scoring at a strike rate of 46.01, to register his maiden first-class half-century. Van Niekerk faced 163 deliveries for his well-played 75.

After the dismissals of both Cook and van Niekerk, the Rhinos ran into choppy waters. Allrounder Caleb Balich lost partners in quick succession as Kieren Kenny and Gerald Ngwenyama contributed a combined score of six runs to the total. Both batters were dismissed by Grant Thomson, Kenny (6) in the 87th over and Ngwenyama (0) in the 89th over.

Balich eventually found good fortune when Jon Hinrichson joined him at the crease. With Hinrichson keeping him company, Balich was on the cusp of his maiden first-class half-century. At stumps, Balich was unbeaten on 49* while Hinrichson was on 23*.

Grant Thomson was Northern Cape Heat’s most successful bowler with four wickets from 16 overs at an economy of 3.13 runs an over. Johan van Dyk was the second-best bowler of the day with three wickets from his 18 overs at an economy of 3.39 runs an over.

MPUMALANGA: Tumi Koto, Blake Schraader, Muhammed Mayet, Yassar Cook (c), Rubin Hermann(wk), Benjamin van Niekerk, Caleb Balich, Kieran Kenny, Gerald Ngwenyama, Jon Hinrichsen, Thula Ngcobo.

NORTHERN CAPE: Victor Mahlangu, Ernest Kemm (c), Jason Oakes, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Grant Thomson, Hanu Viljoen (wk), Kelly Smuts, Romano Terblanche, Johannes van Dyk, Tshepo Ntuli, Andrew Rasemene.