DAY 3: Smith strikes unbeaten 64 as Dolphins compile 294 for six at lunch

Jason Smith struck an undefeated half-century to lead the Hollywoodbets Dolphins to 294 for six wickets in 76 overs in their first innings on the final morning of their CSA 4-Day Series match at a cloudless Kingsmead in Durban on Friday.

More than 150 overs have been lost to the weather in this match, including the entire first day, so the game has effectively been reduced to a battle for bonus points. The home team are still 124 runs in arrears in their response to the Titans’ first innings total of 418 for seven declared.

At lunch, Smith had batted through most of the 150-minute session to reach 64 in 106 balls, including six fours and two sixes. It is the 30-year-old’s 26th first-class 50 to go with six hundreds in his 84 first-class matches. He shared half-century partnerships with Romashan Pillay (28) and Jon-Jon Smuts (31).

The Titans began the session well after the Dolphins resumed on 162 for two with Slade van Staden (35) and Bryce Parsons (15) at the crease. Both men were removed within the first three overs without adding to their scores with Parsons hooking Corbin Bosch to fine leg and Van Staden being bowled by left-arm spinner Tsepo Ndwandwa.

Pillay, however, on the back of his impressive 66 on debut in a losing cause in the Dolphins’ last match against WSB Western Province, looked confident and he and Smith soon settled in.

It was a surprise, therefore, when Pillay, who had struck four fours and an on-driven six off Ndwandwa, departed when he mistimed a pull off a short delivery from Matthew Boast straight to Neil Brand at mid-on.

The new batter, Jon-Jon Smuts, led something of a charmed life, being dropped twice by Boast at mid-on on one and long-off on 22, both off the bowling of the luckless Ndwandwa. On the second occasion, Smith rubbed salt into the bowler’s wounds by depositing his next delivery clean over the West Stand and into Masabalala Yengwa Avenue – a huge blow.

Ndwandwa eventually got his man, however, with a classic dismissal as Smuts pushed forward to a delivery that turned sharply, catching the edge and offering a comfortable catch to Bosch at slip.

Smith, who had batted responsibly through the session, was then joined by Prenelan Subrayen and the pair took the Dolphins to lunch.

Ndwandwa assumed the biggest bowling burden for the Titans, wheeling away throughout the session from the Umgeni River end. So far he has taken 3/104 in 29 overs. Boast has 2/52 in 10 overs and Bosch has 1/33 off 11 overs.