Six Gun Grill Western Province, DP World Lions and Hollywoodbets Dolphins were all on target for wins within three days at the end of day two of their Division One CSA 4-Day clashes against the Gbets Rocks, North West Dragons and Dafabet Warriors respectively, while the ITEC Knight were battling hard against the Momentum Multiply Titans.
KNIGHTS BATTLE AFTER MAGNIFICENT KLAASEN POWERS TITANS
The ITEC Knights battled their way to the close of play on day two on 190/5, a mammoth 458-runs behind the Momentum Multiply Titans' first-innings total of 648 all out, in their Division One CSA 4-Day Series clash at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday.
A massive double century from Heinrich Klaasen had powered the Titans to their huge total, and although the Rocks managed to reach the close with five wickets still intact, their chances of forcing a win are effectively over and they should look to try and fight for a draw over the final two days.
STUMPS: The Knights finish on 190-5 on day 2 with Gihahn Cloete (46*) and Migael Pretorious (9*).
— Momentum Multiply Titans (@Titans_Cricket) November 18, 2022
Lizaad Williams led with 3-38 with the company of Junior Dala (2-10). Day 3 gets underway from 09:30 tomorrow.#4DaySeries pic.twitter.com/quaAV6vpyG
Resuming their innings on 28/1 after tea, opener Isaac Dikgale (29) and Gerrit Snyman (40) extended their second wicket stand to 61-runs, before both fell to Lizaad Williams in quick succession as the Knights slipped to 89/3.
Captain Pite van Biljon (33) and Gihahn Cloete (46no) then combined for 48 for the fourth wicket, before Van Biljon and Patrick Kruger (9) both fell to Junior Dala shortly after each other, with the Knights on 144/5.
Orapeleng Motlhoaring (8no) had to retire hurt, before Migael Pretorius (9no) accompanied Cloete to the close.
In the post lunch session it was a case of so close yet so far for Klaasen as he fell just eight runs short of what would have been a remarkable triple century.
Klaasen had smashed his way past 250 during the morning session, and continued hammering the Knights bowling department to all parts of the ground after lunch, until Mbulelo Budaza finally had him caught by Dikgale for a breathtaking 292 off 240 deliveries, featuring 39 fours and nine sixes.
The numbers
— Momentum Multiply Titans (@Titans_Cricket) November 18, 2022
?Highest individual score by a Titans player - Klaasen (292)
?Biggest total by the Titans in the #4DaySeries - 648
?5000 first class runs (senior provincial cricket included) for Klaasen
?Highest 9th wicket partnership for the Titans - 219 between Klaasen & Dala pic.twitter.com/8BhF64ieHo
The wicket ended an amazing 219-run ninth wicket partnership with Dala (56no), who went on with Williams, 28 off 18 balls (6x4) to rub salt into the wounds with a quickfire 39-run last wicket stand, before Williams was last man out caught by Pretorius off Budaza.
The Knights then lost Matthew Kleinveldt (5), caught by Dean Elgar off Williams, but Dikgale and Snyman managed to negotiate the final few overs to tea without further problems.
In the morning session Klaasen was in a league of his own as he smashed his way to an unbeaten 253, after the Titans started the day in a good position on 328/7, with Klaasen on 87 and Simon Harmer on nine.
They extended their eighth wicket stand to 81-runs, with Klaasen bringing up his century along the way, when Harmer on 35 was caught by Grant Snyman off the bowling of Nealan van Heerden, with the Titans on 390/8.
It was Van Heerden’s fifth wicket of the innings, but the joy was short lived as Klaasen then took centre stage, absolutely dominating an unbeaten ninth-wicket stand with Dala, as he cruised past 150, 200 and then 250 putting them well on top at lunch.
MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Sibs Makhanya (capt), Dean Elgar, Neil Brand, Theunis de Bruyn, Jiveshen Pillay, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Dayyaan Galiem, Aya Gqamane, Simon Harmer, Lizaad Williams, Junior Dala
ITEC KNIGHTS: Pite van Biljon (capt), Gihahn Cloete (wk), Matthew Kleinveldt, Isaac Dikhale, Patrick Kruger, Patrick Botha, Aubrey Swanepoel, Gerald Coetzee, Nealan van Heerden, Nipho Mpungose, Mbulelo Budaza, Jacques Snyman, Mbongi Mhlanga
LIONS WELL ON TOP OF DRAGONS AT CLOSE ON DAY TWO
The Lions produced a superb bowling performance in the final session of day two of their Division One CSA 4-Day Series match against the North West Dragons at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Friday, to set them up for a possible win on day three, with the Dragons on 143/9 in their first innings.
The Lions had earlier amassed 362 all out, before the Dragons reached tea on 41/1, but then lost eight wickets in the final session to still trail the Lions first innings by 219 runs.
Bjorn Fortuin, 4-38, was the key wicket taker, while he was well backed up by Lutho Sipamla, 2-26, and Duane Olivier, 2/41.
For the Dragons opener Lesego Senokwane (56) and No 3 Shaylin Pillay (34) showed good initial resistance, but once Pillay was stumped by keeper Ryan Rickleton off the bowling of Fortuin, it sparked a collapse that saw them lose eight wickets for 65 runs as they crashed to 142/9.
The DP World Lions were electric in the field today!
— DP World Lions (@LionsCricketSA) November 18, 2022
This Reeza catch. ??#LionsCricket #ThePrideOfJozi #BePartOfIt #SummerOfCricket pic.twitter.com/txONK4bqGw
Nicholas van den Bergh (14no) and Kerwin Mungroo, who is yet to score, will resume on the third morning, with the unlikely task of getting their side past the follow on mark.
Earlier in the day an impressive century from Wiaan Mulder saw the Lions reach a decent first innings score of 362 all out.
Mulder marshalled the tail well enough to allow him to reach an unbeaten 115 off 191 balls (16x4), despite losing Malusi Siboto (14), run out straight after the lunch break, and Duane Olivier (2) and Lutho Sipamla (8), not contributing much to the total, as they added 31-runs to the score.
Despite the early wicket of Thabang Mokoena (8), bowled by Sipamla, the Knights then rallied to reach tea with Senokwane and Pillay at the crease.
At the start of the day Mulder and Fortuin (40), resumed the Lions innings on 224/5, and extended their sixth-wicket stand to 103 runs, when Fortuin was caught by Wesley Marshall off the bowling of Senuran Muthusamy.
Sisanda Magala then followed soon after for an 11 ball duck, caught by Nicholas van den Bergh off the bowling of Mungroo, as they slipped to 298/7.
Siboto then looked in good nick as he and Mulder shared in an unbeaten 33-run stand to get to lunch without further problems.
NORTH WEST DRAGONS: Thabang Mokoena, Wesley Marshall, Shaylin Pillay, Nicholas van den Bergh, Senuran Muthusamy, Christopher Britz, Khanya Cotani, Delano Potgieter, Duan Jansen, Renaldo Meyer, Kerwin Mungroo
DP WORLD LIONS:Dominic Hendricks (capt), Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton, Bjorn Fortuin, Wiaan Mulder, Lutho Sipamla, Sisanda Magala, Duanne Olivier, Malusi Siboto, Mitchell Van Buuren
ROCKS HEADING FOR INNINGS DEFEAT AFTER VERREYNNE DOUBLE
The Gbets Rocks were heading for an innings defeat against Six Gun Grill Western Province, as they reached the close of play on day two on 12/1 in their second innings, still 343-runs short of making the hosts bat again in their Division One CSA 4-Day Series match at Six Gun Grill Newlands on Friday.
The Rocks had started the final session in a decent position on 114/2 in their first innings, but regular wickets, coupled with the injury to opening batsmen Ismaeel Gafiedien (17no) who did not come out to bat again, saw them all out for 202.
Shaun von Berg (39), Clyde Fortuin (33) and Janneman Malan (22) were the only batters to show a bit of fight in the final session, while Dane Paterson, 3/41, Tshepo Moreki, 3/58, and Beuran Hendricks, 2/29, were the key wicket takers for the hosts.
Opener Stiaan van Zyl (6), then fell to Nandre Burger just before the close of play, leaving Imran Manack (6no) and Michael Copeland who is yet to score at the crease, needing to produce a miracle on day three.
DAY 2 images by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images. pic.twitter.com/UsiQMMHtm7
— WP Blitz (@WP_Blitz) November 18, 2022
Earlier in the day Western Province declared their first innings on a massive 557/5 declared, which was largely down to a superb double century stuck by Kyle Verreynne, while the Knights resumed after the lunch break on 14/0.
Gafieldien the retired hurt, but Van Zyl (62) looked strong as he scored a solid half century, but lost Copeland (18), caught by Verreynne off Paterson, and then fell himself, bowled by Burger, leaving Malan and Fortuin at the crease at tea.
In the morning session Verreynne ended on a brilliant unbeaten 201 off 221 balls (21x4, 6x6), and was ably supported by George Linde who struck a run-a-ball unbeaten 70 (13x4) to help him get to the milestone.
Verrynne and Linde had started the day with Province on 430/5, and proceeded to extend their unbeaten sixth wicket partnership to 128-runs, before they decided to declare straight after Verreynne brought up his double century.
The Rocks then negotiated a tricky five over spell before lunch, with openers Gafieldien and Van Zyl reaching the break safely.
SIX GUN GRILL WESTERN PROVINCE: Tony de Zorzi, Edward Moore, Mohammad Valli, Aviwe Mgijima, Beuran Hendricks, Daniel Smith, George Linde, Kyle Verreynne (capt, wk), Nandre Burger, Tshepo Moreki, Dane Paterson
GBETS ROCKS :Ismaeel Gafieldien, Stiaan van Zyl, Janneman Malan, Michael Copeland, Clyde Fortuin, Hlomla Hanabe, Khwezi Gumede, Hardus Viljoen, Shaun von Berg, Imraan Manack, Achille Cloete
WARRIORS IN TROUBLE AGAINST DOLPHINS
The Dafabet Warriors moved their second innings score to 158/4 at the close of play on day two of their Division One CSA 4-Day Series clash against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins, with a slender lead of 39-runs over the visitors.
Having been bowled out on day one for 166, and then bowled the Dolphins out for 285 in the post lunch session on day two, the Warriors then reached tea on 63/2, still 56-runs short of the visitors.
Lesiba Ngoepe (27) and Matthew Breetzke (43no) then extended their third wicket stand to 41-runs, before Ngoepe was bowled by Andile Phehlukwayo with the score on 97/3.
Rudi Second (14) was then caught off the bowling of Odirile Modimokoane, with the Warriors on 120/4, leaving Breetzke and Diego Rosier (16no) to take them to the close, and try kick on in the morning to a big partnership to try give their bowlers something to bowl at.
DAY 2, STUMPS
— Dolphins Cricket (@DolphinsCricket) November 18, 2022
Another strong day from our @Hollywoodbets Dolphins heroes in their CSA 4-Day Series clash the Warriors in Gqeberha.
The Warriors end the day on 158-4 with a 39 run lead. Phehlukwayo, Dupavillon, Baartman and Modimokoane share the spoils with 1 wicket each. pic.twitter.com/BPmRcs2bY4
In the post lunch session the Dolphins managed to move their first innings total from 256/8, to 285 all out, a lead of 119-runs over the Warriors first innings score.
Phehlukwayo (68) and Modimokoane (25), shared in a 39-run ninth wicket stand, but both then fell within seven balls of each other, to Ziyaad Abrahams and Beyers Swanepoel respectively to end the innings.
Warriors openers Wihan Lubbe (17) and Jordan Hermaan (38) then lost their wickets to Daryn Dupavillon and Ottneil Baartman, leaving Ngoepe and Breetzke at the crease at tea.
In the morning session the Dolphins resumed their first innings on 151/5, with Phehlukwayo then key in building them a good lead as they reached lunch on in a good position.
The early wicket of Jason Smith (45), caught and bowled by Swanepoel, was an important breakthrough for the Warriors, but brought Eathan Bosch (51) to the crease and he shared in a 93-run seventh wicket stand with Phehlukwayo, before he was caught by Swanepoel off the bowling of Abrahams.
Dupavillon then fell for a fifth ball duck to Mthiwekhaya Nabe, with the Dolphins on 246/8, which brought Modimokoane to the crease to join Phehlukwayo as they took their side to lunch.
DAFABET WARRIORS: Rudi Second (capt), Diego Rosier, Matthew Breetzke, Lesiba Ngoepe, Jordan Hermann, Wihahn Lubbe, Beyers Swanepoel, Glenton Stuurman, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Tsepo Ndwandwa, Ziyaad Abrahams
HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS: Sarel Erwee, Grant Roelofsen, Marques Ackerman (Captain), Tshepang Dithole, Khaya Zondo, Jason Smith, Andile Phehlukwayo, Eathan Bosch, Ottneil Baartman, Jon-Jon Smuts, Odirile Modimokoane, Thando Ntini, Daryn Dupavillon