MAHARAJ’S 11-WICKET HAUL ENSURES DOLPHINS’ TRIUMPH
Man of the match Keshav Maharaj grabbed a 10-wicket match haul for the eighth time in his first-class career after he led the Hollywoodbets Dolphins to a handsome 279-run victory over the ITEC Knights in their CSA 4-Day Series match at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on Wednesday.
The left-arm spinner, who claimed 5-62 in the Knights’ first innings, was even more destructive in their second innings as he took 6-43 to help dismiss the home team for 145 on the final morning of the match. In all he took 11 wickets for 105.
The Knights, who had been faced with the formidable task of scoring 425 runs for victory on Tuesday, began on their overnight total of 84 for two wickets with Raynard van Tonder and Pite Biljon hoping to build on their overnight partnership of 66.
This hope quickly died when Van Biljon was bowled by Ottniel Baartman without adding to his score. Gihahn Cloete and Patrick Kruger followed in quick succession, both dismissed by paceman Eathan Bosch who finished with the remarkable figures of 3-12 in 14 overs.
It was then time for Maharaj to clean up the remainder of the Knights’ batting order, beginning with Patrick Botha and then the determined Van Tonder whose 63 included seven fours in his 157-ball innings.
After that it was a case of a knife through butter as Maharaj quickly swept the rest of the innings away, earning the Dolphins their second consecutive victory after their triumph in Durban against log leaders Six Gun Grill Western Province.
Aside from Maharaj’s heroics, it was a good match for Sarel Erwee, who bounced back after being dropped from the South African test squad to play the West Indies, striking 17 fours and two sixes in his 132 in 131 balls in the Dolphins’ second innings. Another test discard, Khaya Zondo, struck an unbeaten half-century in their second innings of 336 for six declared.
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
Report Day 2Report Day 3LIONS-WARRIORS SHARE SPOILS
A flat Wanderers pitch was unable to produce a positive result as the DP World Lions and the Dafabet Warriors settled for a draw at tea on the final day of their CSA 4-Day Series match at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Both teams compiled big first-innings totals (438 for the Warriors and 433 for the Lions) with Sinethemba Qeshile and Ryan Rickelton striking centuries for their respective sides.
Matthew Breetzke added another ton for the Warriors in their second innings when they reached 255 for seven at tea, an overall lead of 260. At that stage the captains decided to shake hands on a draw.
For the Lions, Kagiso Rabada impressed with his bowling in the Warriors’ second innings, taking 3-26 in 12 overs while his pace bowling colleague Lutho Sipamla took six wickets in the match.
For the Warriors, pace bowlers Glenton Stuurman and Beyers Swanepoel each took three wickets in the sole Lions’ innings.
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
POTCH FLOP AND PRETORIA WIPEOUT
The CSA 4-Day Series match between the North West Dragons and Six Gun Grill Western Province died an inglorious death on the first – and final – day of the match at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.
It was a forgettable final appearance for the Dragons’ redoubtable skipper Heino Kuhn who had announced his retirement as a player from the game.
Heavy rain leading up to the game prevented any play on the first three days due to a waterlogged outfield.
When play did begin, midway through the fourth morning, the Dragons won the toss and put their opponents in to bat.
On such an inconsequential day, there was some useful batting practice for the likes of Yaseen Vallie (35), Zubayr Hamza (41), George Linde (32), Kyle Simmonds (70*) and discarded Proteas’ wicketkeeper, Kyle Verreynne, who struck 64 as Province batted through the day for 345 for nine in 91 overs.
The Dragons’ bowlers were also able to stretch their backs, with paceman Renaldo Meyer the most successful with 4-74.
At least there was some cricket in Potchefstroom. The Momentum Multiply Titans and the Gbets Rocks never got on the field at the Tuks Oval in Pretoria where the wet outfield defeated all attempts at playing a game.
DRAGONS:Lesego Senokwane, Grant Mokoena, Shaylen Pillay, Christopher Britz, Senuran Muthusamy, Heino Kuhn (capt), Delano Potgieter, Khanya Cotani (wk), Duan Jansen, Eldred Hawken, Renaldo Meyer
SIX GUN GRILL WESTERN PROVINCE: Tony de Zorzi, Edward Moore, Zubayr Hamza, Kyle Verreynne (wk/capt), Yaseen Vallie, George Linde, Aviwe Mgijima, Kyle Simmonds, Dane Paterson, Beuran Hendricks, Tshepo Moreki.