Ryan Rickelton, fresh from being included in the Proteas’ test squad to play the West Indies, struck a brilliant century – his 15th – for the DP World Lions on the third day of their CSA 4-Day Series match against the Dafabet Warriors at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
The Lions were finally dismissed for 433 in their first innings, a deficit of just five runs after the Warriors were all out for 438 on Monday. And then, to complete a successful day for Rickelton and the home team, Warriors’ opener Jordan Hermann edged his first ball from Kagiso Rabada to the gloveman who dived low and to his left to scoop up the catch.
At the close, the Warriors were five for one in their second innings, an overall lead of 10, with Kyle Jacobs and Diego Rosier at the crease.
The 26-year-old left-hander belted seven sixes and 11 fours in his 125 in just 112 balls. He shared a ninth-wicket partnership of 84 with Lutho Sipamla who struck eight fours in his cultured 36 on an excellent Wanderers pitch for batting.
There was a moment of drama when Sipamla fell, leg before wicket, leaving last man Tladi Bokako to dig out a yorker and then take a single to give Rickelton, on 98, the strike. He drove the next ball square on the off-side before diving to complete his second run, avoiding being run out by a whisker.
If Rickelton’s flashing blade provided the cream on the top, it was half-centuries by openers Joshua Richards and Dominic Hendricks as well as a bright 67 from SA test skipper Temba Bavuma that built the foundations of the innings.
The principal wicket-takers for the Warriors were pacemen Glenton Stuurman (3/73) and Beyers Swanepoel (3/74) with both men delivering 24 overs. It was a tough day at the office for Protea Marco Jansen whose dismissal at the death of Rickelton was his only reward in the day at a cost of 98 runs.
LIONS: Joshua Richards, Dominic Hendricks (capt), Temba Bavuma, Wiaan Mulder, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Mitchell van Buuren, Bjorn Fortuin, Kagiso Rabada, Malusi Siboto, Lutho Sipamla, Tladi Bokako
WARRIORS: Kyle Jacobs, Jordan Hermann, Diego Rosier, Matthew Breetzke, Rudi Second (capt), Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), Marco Jansen, Glenton Stuurman, Beyers Swanepoel, Tsepo Ndwandwa, Mthiwekhaya Nabe
ERWEE TON GIVES DOLPHINS THE EDGE
Test discard Sarel Erwee struck a fine century for the Hollywoodbets Dolphins against the ITEC Knights on the third day of their CSA 4-Day Series match at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.
Erwee cushioned his disappointment at being left out of the Proteas’ test squad to play the West Indies by striking 17 fours and two sixes in his 141-ball innings to enable the visitors to declare their second innings on 336 for six, setting the home team the formidable task of scoring 425 for victory.
That target looked far away when Eathan Bosch bowled Isaac Dikgale for a single and Keshav Maharaj had Matthew Kleinveldt caught close in by Khaya Zondo for 10.
But that was the extent of the Dolphins’ success in the final session as Raynard van Tonder (43) and skipper Pite van Biljon (27) put together an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 66 as they closed on 84 for two. That still leaves the Knights needing a further 341 runs for what would be a sensational win on Wednesday.
Erwee, who looked in sparkling form, shared half-century partnerships with Tshepang Dithole, Marques Ackerman and Khaya Zondo – another test reject – before being dismissed, caught in the deep after scoring his 12th first-class ton.
Thereafter Zondo played steadily at one end for his unbeaten 55 in 115 balls, while Grant Roelofsen provided most of the fireworks at the other end (49 in 60 balls) as the pair added 92 for the sixth wicket leading up to the declaration soon after tea.
For the Knights, paceman Patrick Kruger was the most successful bowler, claiming 2/29 in 12 overs.
Report Day 2KNIGHTS: Isaac Dikgale, Matthew Kleinveldt, Pite van Biljon, Raynard van Tonder, Patrick Kruger, Gihahn Cloete (wk), Patrick Botha (capt), Migael Pretorius, Gerald Coetzee, Monde Maqunqu, Nhlakanipho Mpungose
DOLPHINS: Sarel Erwee, Tshepang Dithole, Keegan Petersen, Marques Ackerman, Khaya Zondo, Grant Roelofsen (wk), Eathan Bosch, Andile Simelane, Keshav Maharaj (capt), Daryn Dupavillon, Ottniel Baartman
THIRD BLANK DAY IN POTCH AND PRETORIA
Heavy rain leading up to the matches has meant that no ball has yet been bowled in the CSA 4-Day Series matches between the North West Dragons and Six Gun Grill Western Province in Potchefstroom and between the Momentum Multiply Titans and Gbets Rocks in Pretoria.