Erlank bats the Tuskers into a strong position
EASTERN STORM VS TUSKERS
Michael Erlank batted the AET Tuskers into a strong position with a brilliant century on day three of their CSA 4-Day Challenge match against Eastern Cape at Willowmoore Park, Benoni, on Saturday. Erlank's second innings of 121 runs helped Tuskers declare their second innings on 268 runs for the loss of five wickets.
At stumps on day three, Eastern Storm was on 23 runs for no wickets lost. Eastern Storm needs 301 runs to win.
Tuskers scored 252 runs in their first innings, to which Eastern Storm replied with a total of 197 runs.
Divan Posthumus has a career-best score of 55 and averages 26 runs. The 28-year-old failed to kick on from his overnight score of 21 and only managed to match his average before he was bowled by Stefan Tait. Three balls later, Tait made it two wickets in one over when he accounted for Amaan Khan's wicket. 18-year-old Khan, playing in only his third first class match, departed for a three-ball duck.
Pacer Nico van Zyl did not fare any better. The 23-year-old Waterkloof Hoërskool alum was dismissed by Keith Dudgeon three overs later for a 10-ball two runs. Mekyle Pillay finally found a partner able to score more than 10 runs when Tumelo Simelane came to the crease. The pair added 22 runs to the total and 15 of those runs came off Simelane's bat.
Eastern Storm's innings came to an end in the 63rd over when Pillay was trapped lbw by Malcolm Nofal.
Eastern Storm, who won the toss and elected to field first on day one, spent 22 fewer overs at the crease than Tuskers did in their first innings. The Benoni-based team was bowled out in 69.2 overs, during which they managed a total of 197. They were trailing by 55 runs at the innings break.
Stefan Tait was the Tuskers' most successful bowler of the innings with four wickets from 18 overs. The 26-year-old left-arm seamer bowled two maidens and conceded 59 runs. Malcolm Nofal chipped in with three wickets from 13.2 overs. The 31-year-old who also plied his trade in New Zealand in the past bowled four maidens and conceded 40 runs.
Tuskers would have hoped for a better start, one that did not include them losing a wicket in the second over of their second innings. The visitors lost opener Thamsanqa Kumalo for a duck after his opening partner, Cameron Shekleton, had seen out a Nico van Zyl maiden over. Kumalo was unable to hold his ground facing Amaan Khan's pace early on.
Shekleton was joined by Michael Erlank at the crease and the pair shepherded Tuskers to lunch without incident. At the stroke of lunch, the duo had constructed a 62-run partnership.
Shortly after the lunch break, Erlank reached his 33rd first class half-century. It came off 85 deliveries. Erlank lost his partner shortly after lunch when Shekleton was bowled by Tumelo Simelane after contributing 26 runs to the total. Following Shekleton's dismissal, Erlank was joined by Tian Koekemoer, Tuskers' hero from day one.
With Koekemoer keeping him company, Erlank stroked his way to his 10th first class century. Erlank's 100 runs came from 158 deliveries and featured 15 fours. Erlank's fantastic innings, which featured 17 fours and a single six as he compiled 121 runs from 181 deliveries, came to an end in the 63rd over when he was dismissed by Shane Dadswell.
Tuskers' in-form batter, Tian Koekemoer, continued his with his rich vein of form. The 28-year-old stroked six fours on his way to his thirteenth first class half-century. Koekemoer was patient in his knock and faced 131 deliveries for his 50.
Koekemoer shared a 69-run partnership with experienced campaigner Malcolm Nofal. Their fourth-wicket partnership was broken when the 31-year-old allrounder was dismissed for 32 runs off 46 balls by Amaan Khan. One wicket became two when Khan struck again in the same over to dismiss Keith Dudgeon.
Tuskers declared after the fall of Dudgeon's wicket.
Amaan Khan was Eastern Storm's most successful bowler with three wickets from 8.3 overs. Khan bowled a single maiden over and conceded 35 runs. Shane Dadswell and Tumelo Simelane took a single wicket each.
Eastern Storm began their second innings brightly. At stumps, Mark Pearse was going at a strike rate of 105.26. He had scored 20* runs from 19 deliveries. His opening partner, Wesley Coulentianos, was unbeaten on two runs from 11 balls.
Malcolm Nofal and Michael Erlank bowled Tuskers' five overs. Nofal had bowled three overs, one maiden, conceded 10 runs and had no wickets. Erlank had bowled two overs, conceded 12 runs and had no wickets.
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).
MPUMALANGA RHINOS VS NORTHERN CAPE HEAT
Rivaldo Moonsamy stroked a masterful 150 to put Northern Cape Heat in a good position in their CSA 4-Day Challenge encounter against Mpumalanga Rhinos at Uplands College, White River, on Saturday. Moonsamy's almost-a-run-a-ball 154 runs that came off 158 deliveries helped Northern Cape Heat to reach 518 runs for six wickets at stumps on day three as they replied to Mpumalanga Rhinos' first innings total of 383 all out.
With his 154 runs, Moonsamy registered his new career-best score.
Northern Cape Heat leads Mpumalanga Rhinos by 135 runs with four wickets in hand.
Northern Cape Heat captain Ernest Kemm and No 3 batter Jason Oakes picked up from where they left off on the morning of day two. The duo added 78 runs to their overnight partnership to see Northern Cape Heat past the 100-run mark.
Kemm was looking on course to register his 18th half-century when he fell to the bowling of Thula Ngcobo in the 46th over. The former Titans player was dismissed for a well-played 45 from 141 balls. Following Kemm's dismissal, Oakes joined forces with Rivaldo Moonsamy for a new partnership.
The pair's 27-run partnership lasted 10.3 overs before Oakes, the Northern Cape Heat wicketkeeper, was dismissed after reaching his eighth first-class half-century. Oakes fell to Kieran Kenny's bowling for 64 runs from 157 balls.
The loss of Oakes' wicket left Moonsamy unfazed. The 26-year-old wicketkeeper needed only 48 deliveries to score the 44 runs that took him to his 15th first-class half-century. Shortly after Moonsamy's half-century, Grant Thomson was also raising his bat to celebrate his own half-century.
Thomson matched Moonsamy's tempo and the former Titans player brought up his 27th first class half-century in 64 deliveries. Moonsamy and Thomson had the Mpumalanga Rhinos batters chasing leather, and before long, Moonsamy brought up his sixth first-class century.
Moonsamy and Thomson's prolific partnership yielded 199 runs from 202 balls. The partnership was broken by Kieran Kenny when he dismissed Thomson. The 34-year-old was on 90, only 10 runs away from his 12th first-class century.
Following Thomson's dismissal, Moonsamy continued on his merry way, blasting Mpumalanga Rhinos bowlers out of the park. The 26-year-old raised his bat for the third time in the day after he passed the 150-run mark. When he reached his 100, Moonsamy was batting at a strike rate of 84. He upped the tempo to reach his 150, which came off 155 balls. With his 150, Moonsamy surpassed his previous first-class high score of 146.
Shortly afterwards, Moonsamy fell to Blake Schraader's offbreaks. When he was dismissed, Moonsamy had contributed the bulk of the runs in his 57-run partnership with Hanu Viljoen, who had scored about 11 runs at the time. Moonsamy was dismissed for 154 runs from 158 deliveries.
After the dismissals of in-form batters, Moonsamy and Thomson, Viljoen was joined by Kelly Smuts at the crease. The hopes that the pair could emulate the two previous partnerships were dashed when Smuts was trapped lbw by Nqcobo for a 15-ball 10 runs.
Hanu Viljoen celebrated his second first-class half-century late on day three. The 21-year-old's 50 came from 80 deliveries. Shortly after Viljoen's half-century, 31-year-old Terblanche celebrated his 21st half-century. The former Eagles player faced 68 deliveries for his 50.
Viljoen's partnership with Romano Terblanche added 106 runs to the total and saw Northern Cape Heat past the 500-run mark. At stumps, Viljoen was unbeaten on 76 and Terblanche was also unbeaten on 52.
Thula Ngcobo was Mpumalanga Rhinos' most successful bowler with two wickets in 20 overs at an economy of 2.1 runs an over. Kieran Kenny also took two wickets, but at a higher economy rate of four 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.
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