DAY 2: Province surge ahead courtesy of Verreynne's ton and Linde's blitz

cricket28 March 2025 16:06| © MWP
By:CS Chiwanza
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Kyle Verreynne © Gallo Images

Kyle Verreynne and George Linde batted WSB Western Province into a dominant position with a combined 222 runs on day two of their CSA 4-Day Series encounter against Goldrush Boland at WSB Newlands on Friday. Boland were on 159-3 at stumps.

The visitors trail Western Province by 433 runs with seven wickets in hand.

They had Pieter Malan (63*) and Clyde Reeves-Fortuin (55*) at the crease at the close of play.

Dane Paterson, Jody Lawrence and Mihlali Mpongwana handicapped Boland's reply to their first-innings total with three early wickets.

Paterson delivered the first breakthrough four balls into Boland's innings with the dismissal of Grant Roelofsen for a three-ball duck.

Jody Lawrence made it 13-2 18 deliveries later.

The visitors attempted to rebuild with Malan and Aviwe Mgijima, but that effort only added 44 runs to their cause before Mpongwana struck.

The visitors needed a substantial partnership to stabilise the innings and they got it through Malan and Reeves-Fortuin's unbroken 102-run fourth-wicket partnership.

Malan is renowned for his ability to knuckle down and bat a long innings. That is the mode he locked in.

The 35-year-old was unbeaten on 63 off 139 balls at stumps. This is his 57th first-class half-century and he faced 101 deliveries to reach the milestone.

His partner Reeves-Fortuin is enjoying a good run of form.

The Boland captain registered a half-century last week in Boland's rain-affected encounter against the DP World Lions.

He followed it up with another one against Western Province. The 29-year-old faced 74 deliveries to reach the landmark.

Reeves-Fortuin reached the landmark in style, creaming three consecutive boundaries off Dane Paterson to get there.

He was on 55 off 96 balls at the close of play.

LINDE AND VERREYNNE ENTERTAIN

Earlier in the day, George Linde and Kyle Verreynne put on a show as they batted Western Province to a total close to 600.

Verreynne scored an outstanding unbeaten 131 from 215 deliveries as he shepherded Western Province to a total close to 600.

This is his second-highest score against Boland. The 27-year-old came into the match with 243 runs in two outings against their neighbours. One of the innings was an unbeaten 201.

The Western Province captain registered his second century against Boland during a dominant 127-run fifth-wicket partnership he shared with Linde.

This is now the highest fifth-wicket stand record for Western Province in the format.

Verreynne faced 170 deliveries to reach his 14th first-class century.

Verreynne was content to play second fiddle to Linde's swashbuckling knock.

Western Province scored an outstanding 156 runs in the session and the majority of them were off Linde's bat.

Linde was dismissed for 91 off 66 balls. This isn't the first time Linde has starred with the bat for his side.

He scored an outstanding 152 to bail Western Province out of a tight spot when they went up against the Dafabet Warriors.

Only one of his team's top order got going in that match. Five of them fell for single-digit scores.

The allrounder walked out to bat under different circumstances this time around. Only Daniel Smith was unable to reach a milestone, while the rest cashed in.

There were drooping shoulders and weary legs in the visitors' team during Boland's innings.

Only one Boland player stood out.

Shaun von Berg kept Boland afloat with his 29th five-wicket haul, his second five-wicket haul of the season.

The spinner bagged 8-54 in Boland's season opener against the Dafabet Warriors.

He finished the innings with six wickets for 126 runs in 37 overs.

WESTERN PROVINCE: Tony de Zorzi, Daniel Smith, Eddie Moore, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (capt)(wk), George Linde, Mihlali Mpongwana, Dane Paterson, Jody Lawrence, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Wesley Bedja.

BOLAND: Pieter Malan, Grant Roelofsen, Gavin Kaplan, Aviwe Mgijima, Clyde Reeves-Fortuin (capt)(wk), Shaun von Berg, Keith Dudgeon, Aya Gqamane, Ferisco Adams, Akhona Mnyaka, Glenton Stuurman.