DAY 2: Van Tonder and Lubbe build a solid platform for Dragons

Raynard van Tonder and Wihan Lubbe scored half-centuries to lift the Renault Potchefstroom North West Dragons to 312/5 at lunch on the second day of their CSA 4-Day Series match against the DP World Lions at the JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, on Friday.

Play was interrupted by rain just before the stroke of lunch.

On day one, the Dragons won the toss and elected to bat first. Despite losing two wickets on the second morning, the hosts added crucial runs to their total as they took control of the match. They had Raynard van Tonder (80*) and Taheer Isaacs (0*) at the crease at the interval.

Van Tonder had little trouble picking up from where he left off the previous evening. At stumps, the middle-order batter had scored 48 runs from 92 balls. The 26-year-old faced two more deliveries to register his 21st first-class half-century. This is his second half-ton in back-to-back innings. Last week, Van Tonder chalked an unbeaten half-century as he helped the Dragons secure a draw against the Knights.

Van Tonder and Wihan Lubbe shared an impressive 149-run fourth-wicket partnership. The pair added 65 runs to their overnight tally, Lubbe facing 62 more deliveries for the 40 runs he added to his total. The Dragons captain chalked his 14th first-class half-century, which took him 89 balls to register. This is his second 50 in two consecutive innings. He was dismissed for a 141-ball 85.

Bjorn Fortuin and Junaid Dawood were the two wicket-takers for the Lions in the morning session. Fortuin dismissed Lubbe and Dawood accounted for Ruan de Swardt. However, the leading wicket-taker for the Lions in the innings is Tshepo Moreki with two wickets for 49 runs 17 17 overs. Fortuin and Dawood have a single wicket each.

DRAGONS: Janneman Malan, Matthew Kleinveldt, Lesiba Ngoepe, Raynard van Tonder, Wihan Lubbe (capt), Ruan de Swardt, Taheer Isaacs (wk), Migael Pretorius, Achille Cloete, Odirile Modimokoane, Jaydon Brooker.

DP WORLD LIONS: Joshua Richards, Dominic Hendricks (capt), Zubayr Hamza, Wiaan Mulder, Khaya Fakude, Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Delano Potgieter, Bjorn Fortuin, Codi Yusuf, Tshepo Moreki, Junaid Dawood.