Fast bowler Gerald Coetzee celebrated his inclusion in the Proteas’ squad to face the West Indies with his first first-class five-wicket haul for the ITEC Knights against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins on the opening day of the CSA 4-Day Series match at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on Sunday.
Strangely, however, the 22-year-old Free Stater took his cap from the umpire and walked unaided off the field after bowling the first ball of his 16th over. The over was completed by left-arm spinner Monde Maqunqu, who finished off the Dolphins’ innings for 253 with the caught-and-bowled dismissal of Ottniel Baartman. Coetzee finished with 5-56 in 15.1 overs.
At the close, the Knights had trimmed the deficit down to 200 after replying with 53 without loss. Matthew Kleinveldt scored the bulk of the runs with an unbeaten 40.
Earlier, after the Dolphins had won the toss and chosen to bat, Coetzee, bowling at express pace, claimed the wickets of opener Tshepang Dithole, Keegan Petersen and Khaya Zondo with superb deliveries, having Dithole and Zondo caught behind and trapping Petersen leg before. He completed his haul by trapping top-scorer Eathan Bosch leg before for 53 and then ending a brisk cameo from Keshav Maharaj, who scored 28 in 17 balls, including one four and two sixes.
Petersen’s dismissal – after batting carefully for his 26 in 61 balls – saw the Dolphins wobbling on 100 for five, but a sixth-wicket partnership of 77 between Bosch and Grant Roelofsen (29), as well as cameos from Maharaj and Daryn Dupavillon, saw the visitors through to their total.
KNIGHTS: 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
WARRIORS BOOSTED BY HALF-CENTURIES FROM HERMANN, SECOND
Opener Jordan Hermann’s aggressive 71 and an unbroken century partnership for the fifth wicket between Rudi Second and Sinethemba Qeshile saw the Dafabet Warriors through to a prosperous 270 for four in 82 overs on the first day of their CSA 4-Day Series match against the DP World Lions at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday.
When bad light stopped play, Second was undefeated on 66 (133 balls, 9x4s) while Qeshile was on 47 (104 balls, 8x4s). The pair have so far added 119 for the fifth wicket.
Earlier, Hermann, who struck 71 in 90 balls (9x4s, 3x6s) shared partnerships of 75 with fellow opener Kyle Jacobs and 61 with Diego Rosier (43) before the innings suffered a hiccup when three wickets fell for 15 runs.
Hermann was caught behind by Ryan Rickelton swatting at a Malusi Siboto bouncer before Rosier and Matthew Breetzke followed soon afterwards. Pace bowlers Siboto, Lutho Sipamla and Tladi Bokako took a wicket apiece while left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin trapped Jacobs leg before with his first ball.
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
RAIN PREVENTS PLAY IN POTCH AND PRETORIA
Rain prevented play on the first day of the CSA 4-Day Series matches between the Momentum Multiply Titans and the Gbets Rocks in Pretoria and the North West Dragons and log leaders Six Gun Grill Western Province in Potchefstroom.
Play was called off first thing in the morning at the Tuks Oval in Pretoria due to a wet outfield, while the umpires waited until after lunch to call it at the JB Marks Oval in Potch.