Marques Ackerman and Codi Yusuf gave career-best performances on the first day of the CSA Four-Day Series match between the Hollywoodbets Dolphins and the DP World Lions at Kingsmead in Durban on Thursday.
Ackerman dominated the Dolphins’ first innings of 245 for nine declared with 140 – one run more than his previous best, also against the Lions, two years ago – while Lions paceman Yusuf claimed 6-49 in 18.2 overs, an improvement on his previous best of 5-91 against the Titans two years ago.
Ackerman was the last man out, caught behind by wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton after an innings that kept his team afloat. The left-hander struck 14 fours and two sixes in a fine innings – his fifth career ton – that spanned 184 balls and 312 minutes.
The Kingsmead square has undergone a radical change since its halcyon days of pace and bounce, and it was no surprise when left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin (for the Lions) and off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen (for the Dolphins) opened the bowling for their respective teams.
As it turned out, Fortuin had no luck with his efforts, conceding 55 runs in 14 overs, but Subrayen enjoyed immediate success, grabbing the scalp of Lions captain Dominic Hendricks in his first over, trapping the left-hander leg before with his final delivery.
But Subrayen, still rusty after coming back from a finger injury, conceded 22 runs in his three overs and Jon-Jon Smuts replaced him. The left-arm spinner struck the second blow for the home team with the last ball of the day as high winds engulfed the ground.
For the most part, opener Josh Richards was more than equal to all the bowlers’ efforts, with the free-scoring opener striking nine fours in 47 off 61 balls before he attempted a sweep off Smuts in the final over of the day, only to top-edge the ball to Ackerman at slip.
The Lions thus finished on 65 for two, still 180 behind the Dolphins’ total, with Zubayr Hamza unbeaten on 10.
Earlier, the Dolphins won the toss and took first strike, but they suffered an early blow when their captain, Sarel Erwee, was caught behind driving at Yusuf in the fourth over.
But opener Tshepang Dithole and Ackerman then teamed up to add a relatively untroubled 122 for the second wicket in 190 balls, easily the biggest partnership of the innings, before the Lions struck back in the afternoon, claiming the last seven wickets for 66 runs. There were some soft dismissals for the home team, but also some disciplined bowling by the visitors, particularly Yusuf.
Ackerman, who always tries to be aggressive, began quickly, reaching his 50 in just 55 balls, including two sweetly driven sixes off Fortuin. He then toned down the tempo of his innings to suit the situation as wickets began to fall at the other end after Dithole was bowled for a solid 59 in 120 balls by Tshepo Moreki with a delivery that kept low. Thereafter, only Grant Roelofsen (12) reached double figures as the innings fell away alarmingly.
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
HONOURS EVEN IN PIETERMARITZBURG
The unheralded AET Tuskers did well to dismiss the Gbets Rocks for 232 on the first day of their CSA Four-Day Series match at the Oval in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday.
But the Tuskers suffered a late blow when their opener, Ben Compton, was caught at short leg off the bowling of spinner Siyabonga Mahima to leave the home team on 17 for one at the close, still 215 behind their opponents.
The Rocks won the toss and chose to bat on a slow, slightly uneven pitch. The Malan brothers, Janneman and Pieter, made a steady start, adding 47 for the first wicket. It was a surprise when Janneman (15) fell to a soft dismissal, clipping an innocuous delivery from paceman Keith Dudgeon straight to midwicket.
Brother Pieter struck an impressive 46 off 95 balls before being bowled by Tian Koekemoer as the Rocks went into lunch on 99 for two.
Keegan Petersen and Stiaan van Zyl added 53 for the third wicket but after Van Zyl’s dismissal, bowled by Thando Ntini off an inside edge, the Rocks’ innings began to stutter.
Thereafter only Petersen (57 in in 119 balls) and late defiance from Shaun von Berg (33 in 85 balls) enabled the Rocks to reach their total.
The most successful bowler for the Tuskers was veteran left-arm spinner Kyle Nipper (3-44) while Malcolm Nofal and Dudgeon each picked up a brace.
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
NABE AND VALLIE PUT WESTERN PROVINCE IN CONTROL
Mthiwekhaya Nabe and Yaseen Valli starred with bat and ball for Western Province to put the hosts in control of their CSA 4-day Challenge match against the North West Dragons on Thursday. Nabe, who bagged his second first-class five-wicket haul, helped restrict the Dragons to 236 in their first innings.
At stumps, Western Province had raced to 148 for two thanks to Yaseen Valli's well-played half-century, his 16th first-class 50. Western Province trails the Dragons by 88 runs with eight wickets in hand.
For the umpteenth time this season, Migael Pretorius has shown that his worth to the Dragons goes beyond bowling. He scored a match-saving 83 off 79 balls that featured 14 fours.
The Dragons' top seven batters had an indifferent outing, thanks to an incredible morning spell by Mthiwekhaya Nabe. The Western Province medium pacer saw to it that only two of them scored more than 20 runs and only one scored more than 30. Wihan Lubbe, the only top-seven batter to score more runs, looked like he was batting on a different track as he raced to 43 off 37.
Pretorius chose the same approach as Lubbe and played a counterattacking innings that saw him race to his fourth half-century of the season, to go with his single century. It is his ninth first-class half-century. Of great importance was Pretorius' 124-run eighth-wicket partnership with Meeka-eel Prince.
Prince, who is also enjoying a fruitful debut first-class season, reached his second half-century in the format. He ended his innings with 65 runs off 141 balls and a new first-class high score.
Nabe, who dismissed five of the Dragons' top seven batters, recorded his career-best bowling figures in an innings. His previous best was five for 60. He ended the innings with five wickets for 46 runs in 11 overs.
Pretorius gave the Dragons a dream start with the ball, making light work of Daniel Smith (1) and Eddie Moore (31), but beyond that, the Dragons' bowlers looked impotent against Valli and David Bedingham. The pair put on an impressive 90-run third-wicket partnership that took the game away from the visitors. At stumps, Valli was unbeaten on 52 from 72 while Bedingham was on 44 not out, from 63 balls.
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.
BREVIS SHINES FOR THE TITANS
Dewald Brevis was in sensational form as he romped to a maiden first-class century to inspire the Multiply Titans to 345 for eight in their CSA 4-day Challenge match against the Dafabet Warriors at Supersport Park on Thursday.
Brevis, who has made a name for himself as a spectacular white ball player, showed that he is as comfortable in the longer format as he is in the shorter formats. The 20-year-old scored 110 off 172 in a controlled innings that featured 20 fours.
The Titans had a mediocre start to their innings after choosing to bat first. They lost their openers, Dean Elgar (4) and Neil Brand (32) with less than 100 runs on the board. When Brevis arrived at the crease, the home side was on 65 for two.
Brevis combined with Matthew Kleinveldt to rebuild the innings and put the Titans back on track with a useful 41-run third-wicket partnership. Kleinveldt lost his wicket when he slashed at a wide Marco Jansen delivery, only to edge it to the slips.
That brought Sibonelo Makhanya to the crease. The 27-year-old middle-order batter was in good nick as he stitched a brilliant 164-run partnership with Brevis. During their partnership, Makhanya reached his second half-century of the season, and his 18th first-class 50. Unfortunately for the hosts, Makhanya was unable to convert that into a ton. He was dismissed immediately after the late afternoon drinks break for a well-played 83 off 117.
Brevis did not last long after Makhanya's dismissal. He fell to Patrick Kruger's bowling 4.2 overs later. The Titans had added 15 runs in the period.
The Titans’ innings unravelled at the hands of Beyers Swanepoel in the last hour following the dismissals of Brevis and Makhanya. The 25-year-old was brilliant with the second new ball, putting it to good use after the dismissal of the Titans' set batters. The allrounder struck twice in the 82nd over and then accounted for Gerald Coetzee's wicket in the 86th over.
At stumps, the Titans had Corbin Bosch (29*) and Junior Dala (3*) at the crease.
Beyers Swanepoel was the pick of the bowlers for the Warriors. The allrounder took four wickets for 68 runs in 21 overs. Swanepoel was on target and delivered the most maiden overs, four, compared to his counterparts. Marco Jansen took a brace of wickets and Renaldo Meyer and Patrick Kruger bagged one each.
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