HAMZA OUT FOR 98 AS BAD LIGHT WINS OUT AT KINGSMEAD
Zubayr Hamza – who almost joined the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in the winter – struck 98 as he helped to take the DP World Lions to 217 for five before bad light forced play to be abandoned on the second afternoon of their CSA Four-Day Series match against the Dolphins at Kingsmead in Durban on Friday.
Hamza was poised to complete his seventh first-class hundred when he was “strangled” down the legside off the bowling of left-arm spinner Jon-Jon Smuts as wicketkeeper Grant Roelofsen took the catch. Hamza threw his head up in anguish for several seconds before slowly walking from the field.
The right-hand batsman, who was poised to collect his second hundred in three matches, had added 102 for the fifth wicket with Wandile Makwetu (42*) as the Lions approached the Dolphins’ first innings total of 245 for nine declared.
When bad light was called – with play abandoned shortly afterwards – the Lions were just 28 runs shy of the Dolphins’ score with five wickets in hand as Makwetu was joined by Delano Potgieter.
Earlier, the Lions suffered two quick blows in the morning after resuming on their overnight total of 65 for two. Ryan Rickelton (5) was caught on the crease and had his off-stump removed by offspinner Prenelan Subrayen while Mitchell Buuren was trapped leg before by Smuts.
But Hamza and Wandile Makwetu batted patiently and with good sense on a dry, slow pitch that did not encourage fluent strokeplay to take the Lions to lunch on 144 for four. They continued their good work after the break, willingly accepting a battle of attrition, blocking the good balls and profiting from the occasional bad ball.
The Dolphins’ principal spinners have taken all five wickets, with Smuts claiming 3-52 in 24 overs and a less disciplined Subrayen taking 2/70 in 21 overs.
However, although Hamza and Makwetu were restrained in their approach, neither looked under undue pressure on a surface that has yet to encourage sharp turn.
Even part-time leggie Marques Ackerman – the Dolphins’ centurion on Thursday – tried his hand for nine overs without success while the pace bowlers were tidy but ineffective.
The only sign of wear and tear, thus far, is the occasional delivery that has kept low.
DOLPHINS: Tshepang Dithole, Sarel Erwee (capt), Marques Ackerman, Grant Roelofsen (wk), Khaya Zondo, Jason Smith, Jon-Jon Smuts, Andile Simelane, Prenelan Subrayen, Daryl Dupavillon, Okuhle Cele
LIONS: Joshua Richards, Dominic Hendricks (capt), Zubayr Hamza, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Graeme van Buuren, Wandile Makwetu, Delano Potgieter, Bjorn Fortuin, Codi Yusuf, Tsepo Ndwandwa, Tshepo Moreki
KOEKEMOER, VON BERG LIGHT UP THE PIETERMARITZBURG GLOOM
Tian Koekemoer struck an unbeaten 61 (116 balls, 5x4s) while legspinner Shaun von Berg claimed 3-29 in 15 overs as the AET Tuskers reached 147 for five in their first innings before rain and bad light caused play to be abandoned shortly after tea on the second day of their CSA Four-Day match against the Gbets Rocks at The Oval in Pietermaritzburg on Friday.
The Tuskers are 85 runs in arrears with five wickets in hand after the Rocks were dismissed for 232 in their first innings on Thursday.
A wet outfield prevented play in the morning session before the game eventually started at 11:40am.
Resuming on 17 for one, the Tuskers were boosted by 40 in 85 balls by opener Kagiso Rapulana, but Von Berg bowled Rapulana and Tuskers’ skipper Michael Erlank (6) before the break while Achille Cloete bowled nightwatchman Keith Dudgeon for 19.
Von Berg just had time to add to his tally when he trapped Thamsanga Kumalo leg before shortly before the umpires took the players off for the final time.
AET TUSKERS: Michael Erlank (capt), Kyle Nipper, Dilivio Ridgaard (wk), Kagiso Rapulana, Malcolm Nofal, Tian Koekemoer, Alindile Mhletywa, Keith Dudgeon, Ben Compton, Thamsanqa Kumalo, Thando Ntini
GBETS ROCKS: Janneman Malan, Pieter Malan (capt), Stiaan van Zyl, Clyde Fortuin (wk), Aviwe Mgijima, Keegan Petersen, Shaun von Berg, Hardus Viljoen, Siyabonga Mahima, Achille Cloete, Akhona Mnyaka
WESTERN PROVINCE IN CONTROL AT NEWLANDS
Western Province ended day two of their CSA 4-day Challenge match against the North West Dragons in a strong position courtesy of half-centuries from George Linde, Yaseen Vallie, Kyle Simmons and David Bedingham. The quartet of 50s helped the home team reach a first-innings total of 345 in reply to the Dragons' score of 236.
At stumps, the Dragons had collapsed to 132 for four and were leading Western Province by 23 runs with six wickets in hand.
The Dragons kicked off their second innings in promising fashion. Openers Lesego Senokwane (49) and Grant Mokoena laid the foundation for a strong second innings with an 89-run opening stand.
Senokwane was looking good for his seventh first-class half-century and was livid with himself after he missed out on the half-ton by a single run.
The 26-year-old failed to get enough bat on the ball to send it to the boundary to give Daniel Smith an easy catch.
Senokwane, who kicked off his four-day campaign with a century, came into this match with a top score of 34 in four innings.
His opening partner, Mokoena, failed to cash in on the good run of form he appears to be enjoying.
The 34-year-old came into the match on the back of two back-to-back half-centuries.
He was dismissed for 45 off 108. His dismissal was the second of three dismissals that saw the Dragons lose three wickets for 19 runs in 8.3 overs.
Raynard van Tonder (18*) and Senuran Muthusamy (3*) were at the crease when the umpires declared the end of the second day.
Onke Nyaku was the pick of the bowlers for Western Province on day two.
The pacer took two wickets for 10 runs in six overs. Beuran Hendricks and Kyle Simmons bagged a wicket each.
Earlier in the day, Pretorius bagged his second five-wicket haul of the season, which is his fifth first-class fiver.
In the previous match, he took 5-99 in the first innings. Against Western Province, he went one better and snared six wickets for 78 runs.
WESTERN PROVINCE: Eddie Moore, Daniel Smith, Yaseen Vallie, David Bedingham, Valentine Kitime, George Linde, Kyle Simmons, Onke Nyaku, Beuran Hendricks, Dane Paterson, Mthiwekhaya Nabe.
NORTH WEST DRAGONS: Lesego Senokwane, Grant Mokoena, Lesiba Ngoepe, Raynard van Tonder, Wihan Lubbe, Senuran Muthusamy, Ruan de Swardt, Meeka-eel Prince, Migael Pretorius, Kerwin Mungroo, Gideon Peters.
WARRIORS IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT AFTER DAY TWO
Jiveshan Pillay scored an unbeaten half-century to put the Dafabet Warriors in a strong position in their CSA 4-day Challenge match against the Multiply Titans at SuperSport Park on Friday.
At stumps, the visitors were on 176 for two in reply to the Titans' first innings total of 383.
The Warriors trail the Titans by 207 runs with eight wickets in hand.
Pillay creamed 10 fours and two sixes on his way to an unbeaten 96 off 166 in an imperious innings to help the visitors wrestle control from the Titans.
The 24-year-old, who is enjoying a fabulous four-day campaign, came into this match on the back of scoring a brace of half-centuries in consecutive innings.
The opener kicked off the Warriors' reply with an 86-run opening stand with Jordan Hermann.
The pair negotiated 28 overs to give the hosts solid footing in the innings.
The partnership crumbled after 28.1 overs with the dismissal of Hermann for 35 off 71.
Hermann's replacement, Andile Mogakane, stuck around for exactly 21 overs before he had to depart.
Mogakane had shared a solid 84-run second-wicket partnership that saw the Warriors past 150.
The duo was watchful early on in their partnership and upped the ante in the late afternoon post-drinks session.
Mogakane added 33 runs off 65 balls to the total.
At stumps, Pillay was in the company of Diego Rosier, who was unbeaten on three runs off two balls.
Corbin Bosch was the man-of-the-moment for the Titans. The allrounder, who was making a return from injury, performed heroics with the bat on the morning of the second day by scoring an unbeaten 57 off 76 that catapulted the hosts to a competitive total.
Before Bosch arrived at the crease, the wheels had come off the Titans' innings.
The home side went from 285 for five to 383 all out, with no one but him adding meaningful runs to the total.
During the Warriors' innings, Bosch provided breakthroughs when the Titans needed them.
The allrounder was the home team's lone wicket-taker on day two. He finished the day with two wickets for 55 runs in 13.5 overs.
TITANS: Dean Elgar, Neil Brand, Matthew Kleinveldt, Dewald Brevis, Sibonelo Makhanya, Modiri Litheko, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Junior Dala, Tladi Bokako.
WARRIORS: Jiveshan Pillay, Jordan Hermann, Diego Rosier, Andile Mokgakane, Rudi Second, Sinethemba Qeshile, Patrick Kruger, Marco Jansen, Beyers Swanepoel, Renaldo Meyer, Aphiwe Mnyanda
