DAY 2: Compton, Smith notch up tons; Lions fight back as Province hold their edge

NORTH WEST DRAGONS v AET TUSKERS

Ben Compton's masterful 170 put the AET Tuskers in a strong position on day two of their CSA 4-day Challenge match against the North West Dragons at the JB Marks Oval on Friday. 

At stumps, Tuskers were on 333 for four and trailed the Dragons by 91 runs with six wickets in hand.

Compton's 170 runs came off 266 deliveries in an innings that featured 19 fours.

After chasing leather on day one, the Tuskers needed a strong start to their innings, and they got it from Compton and Kagiso Rapulana's 101-run opening stand.

The partnership was broken by Migael Pretorius after lunch when he beat Rapulana's outside edge to give Meeka-eel Prince a regulation catch behind the stumps.

That partnership was succeeded by a 120-run second-wicket partnership between Compton and Thamsanqa Khumalo.

The 24-year-old number three batter narrowly missed out on a second first-class half-century. Khumalo fell for 49 off 110.

Compton held on for another 20.2 overs, a period in which he shared a 76-run partnership with Michael Erlank.

That partnership was dismantled by Migael Pretorius. The Tuskers were on 300 for three. One wicket turned into two when Pretorius struck again to dismiss Pite van Biljon.

Migael Pretorius was the pick of the bowlers for the Dragons.

The 28-year-old pacer reached his seventh four-wicket haul with four wickets for 68 runs in 20 overs.

Dragons: Lesego Senokwane, Grant Mokoena, Lesiba Ngoepe, Rubin Hermann, Wihan Lubbe, Senuran Muthusamy, Meeka-eel Prince, Migael Pretorius, Duan Jansen, CJ King, Kerwin Mungroo.

Tuskers: Ben Compton, Kagiso Rapulana, Tian Koekemoer, Michael Erlank, Pite van Biljon, Malcolm Nofal, Alindile Mhletywa, Keith Dudgeon, Thamsanqa Khumalo, Dilivio Ridgard, Thando Ntini.

GBETS ROCKS v HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS

Jason Smith scored his highest first-class score to help the Hollywoodbets Dolphins take control of their CSA 4-day Challenge match against the Gbets Rocks at Eurolux Boland Park on Friday. 

Smith's innings helped the visitors reach a first-innings total of 475 for seven, declared. In reply, the hosts were on 127 for three.

The hosts trail the Dolphins by 348 runs with seven wickets in hand.

Smith had no trouble picking up from his overnight score of 72 off 148 balls.

The 29-year-old middle-order batter added 75 more runs to that tally to reach 147, a career-best first-class score.

His previous highest score was 136 runs, which he scored in March 2023 against the North West Dragons.

His overnight partner, Slade van Staden, was unable to kick on from day one and fell for 47 off 91, narrowly missing out on a fourth first-class half-century.

Proteas all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo came in after Van Staden's dismissal and raced to his eighth first-class half-century.

Phehlukwayo became the fourth player to reach 50 in the Dolphins' innings.

The 27-year-old's 50 runs came off 69 deliveries. Dolphins captain Sarel Erwee declared the innings immediately afterwards.

Siyabonga Mahima was the standout bowler for the Rocks.

The spinner took four wickets for 133 runs in 39.1 overs. Shaun von Berg grabbed a brace, while Aviwe Mgijima took a single wicket.

The Rocks' reply encountered problems, thanks to Jon-Jon Smuts's great bowling.

The experienced all-rounder dismissed both Malan brothers, Janneman and Pieter, who had been asked to lead the Rocks' innings.

Smuts trapped Janneman lbw in the 13th over and accounted for Pieter's wicket in the same manner immediately after tea.

Okuhle Cele sunk the Rocks further into murky waters when he dismissed Stiaan van Zyl.

The experienced left-hander had stabilised the innings with a promising partnership with Aviwe Mgijima. Their third-wicket stand added 61 runs to the total.

Smuts was the standout bowler for the Dolphins with two wickets for 25 runs in 19 overs.

Okuhle Cele, the only other wicket-taker, took one for 33 in 10 overs.

Rocks: Janneman Malan, Stiaan van Zyl, Pieter Malan (c), Jason Oakes, Aviwe Mgijima, Ferisco Adams, Shaun Von Berg, Glenton Stuurman, Siya Mahima, Achille Cloete, Akhona Mnyaka.

Dolphins: Sarel Erwee, Tshepang Dithole, Marques Ackerman, Grant Roelofsen, Jason Smith, Andile Phehlukwayo, Ottniel Baartman, Prenelan Subrayen, Jon-Jon Smuts, Okuhle Cele, Slade van Staden.

DAFABET WARRIORS v DP WORLD LIONS

Two wickets by DP World Lions renewed vigour as they claimed four Dafabet Warriors wickets in the final session of play to end day two on 79/4 in their CSA 4 Series encounter in Gqeberha on Friday.  

Batting for a second time, Bjorn Fortuin claimed two wickets as the Warriors slumped to 60 runs for the the loss of four wickets in 26 second innings overs. 

When stumps were called, the Warriors had Jiveshan Pillay (41 runs off 101 balls) and Sinethemba Qeshile (10 from 13) still at the crease, with the score on 79/4, and a lead of 373 with six wickets in hand. 

Jiveshan Pillay, fresh off his solid first-innings performance, batted patiently as wickets tumbled at the other end. 

Jordan Hermann was the first wicket to fall, the left-hander scoring just six runs before he was caught by Ryan Rickelton off Cody Yusuf. 

Fortuin then struck two quick blows, removing both skipper Matthew Breetzke (3) and Tristan Stubbs (3) as the Warriors slumped to 38/3 in the 21st over. 

Rudi Second (9) shared 22 runs with Pillay when he skied a delivery by Kwena Maphaka with the catch completed by Rickelton. 

Earlier, the Warriors skittled the visiting Lions for a measly 108 all out thanks to a second five-wicket haul by right-arm seamer Renaldo Meyer. 

Meyer was the pick of the bowlers, claiming half of the wickets to fall as he finished the Lions' second innings with figures of 5-41 from 12 overs. 

He was supported by left-arm off-spinner Siya Simetu, who claimed 3-6 in nine overs including five maidens, while Beyers Swanepoel took 2-21 from 13 overs. 

Meyer and Swanepoel started the collapse with a wicket apiece shortly before lunch, with the latter picking up Joshua Richards (4) before Meyer took care of Dominic Hendricks (0) to see the Lions to lunch on 22/2. 

Returning from the break, Meyer bowled Connor Esterhuizen for five runs, before a 52-run fourth-wicket stand between Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder took the travellers past the 50-run mark.

However, the pair fell within four balls of each other, Rickelton out off the bowling of Simetu, while Mulder (22) fell to Swanepoel with the Lions stuttering to 75 runs and half their side out. 

Meyer returned for some more fiery fast bowling, claiming the wickets of Wandile Makwetu (6) leg before wicket, and then disturbing the woodwork of Fortuin (4) and Malusi Siboto (2).

Simetu wrapped up the innings by dismissing Mitchell van Buuren (4) and Cody Yusuf (14) with the Lions still 294 runs behind.

WESTERN PROVINCE v MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS

A 90-run partnership between Daniel Smith and Yaseen Vallie gave WP kept them in control of proceedings in their CSA 4 Day Series clash against the Momentum Multiply Titans in Cape Town on Friday. 

Smith led the charge with a comfortable 41 runs from 56 balls, while Vallie amassed 41 runs from 53 balls, to take the home side to the close of play on 98/1 and a lead of 189 runs heading into day three. 

First-innings centurion Eddie Moore was the only wicket to fall in the WP second innings, with the left-hander dismissed for eight runs, caught by Matthew Kleinveldt off Aya Gqamane.

Earlier, the Titans resumed the day on 25/1 with Dean Elgar (eight runs from 24 balls) and Joshua van Heerden (9 off 24) at the crease, the pair added  62 runs for the second wicket before Nabe struck, removing Van Heerden for a well-played 34 before Elgar fell eight runs later, trapped in front of his stumps by Beuran Hendricks for 38.

Nabe struck twice more in the 37th over, having Dewald Brevis and Donovan Ferreira out for ducks, caught by Eddie Moore and Kyle Simmonds respectively before the Rivaldo Moonsamy Sibonelo Makhanya rebuild. 

The pair shared a well-constructed 63-run partnership for the sixth wicket before the former was dismissed for 40 off 50 including eight boundaries before he fell to Nabe.

Makhanya then combined with Gqamane to put on 64 runs for the seventh wicket to take the Sky Blues past 200 runs.

Makhanya hit five fours and two sixes on his way to a half-century before he was bowled by Beuran Hendricks, having faced 90 deliveries in his stay at the crease and the team score on 207.

Aya Gqamane (54) and Merrick Brett (27) took their side to tea on 240/7 and continued after the break, sharing 52 runs for the eighth wicket before Brett fell to Hendricks while Nandre Burger cleaned up the tail to dismiss the Titans for 259, to hand the hosts a 91-run lead heading into their second innings. 

Nabe finished with 4-37 from 15 overs, while Burger and Hendricks claimed 3-36 and 3-47 respectively.

WP: Daniel Smith, Eddie Moore, Yaseen Callie, Valentine Kitime, Kyle Verreynne [C,WK], Juan James, Kyle zsimmonds, Beuran Hendricks, Nandre Burger, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Kenan Smith

Titans: Matthew Kleinveldt, Dean Elgar, Joshua van Heerden, Dewald Brevis, Sibonelo Makhanda, Donovan Ferreira, Rivaldo Moonsamy [WK], Ayabulela Gqamane, Merrick Brett, Junior Dala, Lizaad Williams [C].

Report Day 1