It was a frustrating first day back in the CSA 4-Day competition after just one out of three games was able to enjoy a full day of play, with rain playing a big part.
The Hollywoodbets Dolphins and Six Gun Grill Western Province were able to get a full day in, in Durban, while just one session of play was possible in the North West Dragons v Gbets Rocks game in Potchefstroom, and the entire day was washed out between the ITEC Knights and DP World Lions in Bloemfontein.
DOLPHINS IN CHARGE AGAINST WESTERN PROVINCE AFTER FIRST DAY
The Hollywoodbets Dolphins were in charge of their Division One CSA 4-Day match against Six Gun Grill Western Province after reaching the close of play on day one on 89/3, trailing the visitors first innings by 121-runs at Kingsmead on Sunday.
A strong all-round bowling performance saw Western Province all out for 210 at tea, with the Dolphins then losing three wickets in the final session, but still finishing in a good position at the close.
Starting their innings after tea, openers Bryce Parsons (10) and Grant Roelofsen shared 35 for the opening wicket, but both fell within three balls of each other as Roelofsen was caught by Beuran Hendricks off the bowling of Tshepo Moreki and Parsons pinned LBW by Kyle Simmonds as they slipped to 37/2.
Keegan Petersen (14) and Khaya Zondo (16no) then added 26-runs for the third wicket before Moreki picked up his second, having Petersen caught by Aviwe Mgijima.
Slade van Staden (19no) joined Zondo and they took their side to the close with an unbeaten 26-run fourth wicket stand, and they will resume the innings on Monday morning.
Earlier in the day Dolphins spinner Prenelan Subrayen led a solid team bowling performance claiming 3-62, while his captain Keshav Maharaj picked up 2-74, and Parsons chipped in with 2-8.
Resuming after lunch on 113/4, Western Province top scorer Edward Moore (51) reached a deserved half century, but was then promptly out, edging Ruan de Swardt to keeper Roelofsen as they fell to 116/5.
Jonathan Bird (29) and Mgijima (13) combined for a 17-run partnership, before three wickets for just nine runs saw them crash to 142/8.
Bird was run out, Mihlali Mpongwana (3) was caught by Petersen and Mgijima was trapped LBW, both off the bowling of Parsons, to put them in deep trouble.
Hendricks (3) was bowled by Subrayen and with them on 158/9 they were in danger of falling all-out well below 200.
But Simmonds (47no) stepped up to the plate and along with Moreki (18) shared in a superb 52-run last-wicket stand to give the bowlers something to try and defend.
At the start of play Western Province won the toss and chose to bat, but found themselves in trouble at lunch, with Moore two runs short of a half century after watching his partners fall around him.
The early wicket of Tony de Zorzi (9), bowled by Thando Ntini, saw them on 9/1 in the fourth over, before Yaseen Vallie (17) and Moore combined for a 52-run second-wicket partnership.
But a flurry of wickets then saw Western Province slip from 61/1 to 78/4, with Vallie caught by behind by Roelofsen and Zubayr Hamza (7) was trapped LBW, both off the bowling of Maharaj.
Captain Kyle Verreynne (8) was caught by Zondo off the bowling of Subrayen leaving them in a bit of trouble.
Moore, however, found a willing partner in Bird and they took their side to lunch with an unbeaten 35-run fifth-wicket stand.
HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS: Bryce Parsons, Grant Roelofsen (wk), Keegan Petersen, Khaya Zondo, Slade van Staden, Jason Smith, Andile Phehlukwayo, Ruan de Swardt, Keshav Maharaj (capt), Prenelan Subrayen, Thando Ntini
SIX GUN GRILL WESTERN PROVINCE: Tony de Zorzi, Edward Moore, Yaseen Vallie, Aviwe Mgijima, Beuran Hendricks, Jonathan Bird, Kyle Simmonds, Kyle Verreynne (capt, wk), Mihlali Mpongwana, Tshepo Moreki, Zubayr Hamza
DAY ONE WASHED OUT BETWEEN KNIGHTS AND LIONS IN BLOEM
There was no play possible on day one of the Division One CSA 4-Day clash between ITEC Knights and DP World Lions after persistent rain throughout the day kept the players from the field at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on Sunday.
The Lions are fourth on the four day table having picked up a win and a loss in their opening two games, while the Knights are second from bottom after a loss and a draw from their two so far.
Both teams will hope to get on the park on Monday’s day two and try and make a game of it.
ITEC KNIGHTS: TBA
DP WORLD LIONS: TBA
DRAGONS AND ROCKS GET DELAYED GAME UNDER WAY AFTER LUNCH
The Gbets Rocks ended the day in a tricky positon on 120/5 after their Division One 4-Day competition clash against the North West Dragons was impacted heavily by rain at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom on Sunday.
Just over one session of play was possible in the day, with the morning session completely washed out, play was then possible in the post lunch session until tea, with the rain returning in the afternoon before 8.4 overs were possible late into the final session.
The delayed match finally got under way after lunch, with the Rocks winning the toss and choosing to bat.
Openers Pieter Malan (6) and Isma-Eel Gafieldien (32) shared 15 for the first wicket, before Malan was trapped LBW by Delano Potgieter.
Ruan Terblanche (24) and Gafieldien then set about a 49-run second-wicket stand, before a flurry of wickets saw them tumble from 64/1 to 74/4.
Terblanche was bowled by Eldred Hawken, Gafieldien was caught by Thabang Mokoena off the bowling of Juan James and Janneman Malan (6) was caught by Khanya Cotani off the bowling of Duan Jansen.
Michael Copeland (22) then farmed the strike as him and Clyde Fortuin (21no) took the Rocks to tea with an unbeaten 20-run fifth-wicket partnership.
With the rain returning to wash out most of the final session, Copeland and Fortuin picked up the innings on 94/4 and extended their stand to 45-runs, before Copeland was caught by Mokoena off the bowling of Christopher Britz with the score 119/5.
Just a few more balls were possible as bad light chased the players from the field to end the day.
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, Juan James
GBETS ROCKS: Pieter Malan, Isma-Eel Gafieldien, Ruan Terblanche, Janneman Malan, Michael Copeland, Clyde Fortuin, Hardus Viljoen, Bamanye Xenxe, Shaun von Berg, Khwezi Gumede, Achille Cloete