DAY 1: Knights keep things tight, Hendricks stands tall for Lions

Knights keep things tight in the morning session

The Knights' bowling attack kept the Hollywoodbets Dolphins batters quiet for the most part of the first session on day one of their CSA 4-Day Series match at Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein, on Thursday. The Dolphins were on 85/1 at lunch.

The Dolphins had Tshepang Dithole (33*) and Slade van Staden (20*) in the middle at the interval.

The visitors, who won the toss and elected to bat first, experienced turbulence early in their innings when they lost their captain, Sarel Erwee (23), in the 16th over. Erwee fell to Malusi Siboto, driving at a length delivery. Instead of making good contact, the Dolphins captain edged the ball for Gihahn Cloete to take an easy catch behind the stumps. Erwee had shared a 43-run opening stand with Tshepang Dithole.

Dithole and Slade van Staden patiently rebuilt the Dolphins' innings with an unbroken 42-run second-wicket partnership. The pair was circumspect as they negotiated a morning session where Dane Piedt utilised three pacers and a spinner.

Among that lot, Malusi Siboto was the most successful bowler for the Knights. The pacer took a single wicket for seven runs in five overs. He was well-supported by Aaron Phangiso, who bowled back-to-back maiden overs. He did not concede a run in his two overs. Dane Piedt conceded 29 runs in 11 overs.

KNIGHTS:

Jacques Snyman, Lesego Senokwane, Gihahn Cloete (wk), Patrick Botha, Dian Forrester, Aubrey Swanepoel, Aaron Phangiso, Tiaan van Vuuren, Matthew Pollard, Dane Piedt (capt), Malusi Siboto.

DOLPHINS:

Sarel Erwee (capt), Tshepang Dithole (wk), Slade van Staden, Bryce Parsons, Jason Smith, Romashan Pillay, Jon-Jon Smuts, Andile Simelane, Prenelan Subrayen, Daryn Dupavillon, Okuhle Cele.

Hendricks stands tall for Lions

Dominic Hendricks shepherded the DP World Lions to lunch with a score of 74/1 in their CSA 4-Day Series match against the Dafabet Warriors at the DP World Wanderers on Thursday.

The hosts, who won the toss and elected to bat first, had Hendricks (46*) and Muhammad Manack (14*) at the crease at the interval.

Hendricks, the Lions captain, is enjoying a wonderful start to the season. He scored an outstanding 161 in the Lions' previous encounter. His first innings ton helped the Lions chalk a formidable 403/6d, which helped them lay the foundation for a 125-run victory over WSB Western Province. At lunch, the opener was four runs shy of his 52nd first-class half-century.

His partner, Manack, is playing in his third first-class match. The 22-year-old has also had a good start to the season. He registered his maiden first-class half-century when the Lions defeated Western Province and will be looking to chalk a second one in this encounter. At lunch, Manack and Hendricks had shared an unbroken 69-run second-wicket partnership. They joined forces after Joshua Richards' dismissal in the sixth over.

Beyers Swanepoel was the pick of the bowlers for the Warriors. The pacer took a single wicket for five runs in 10 overs. He was supported by Patrick Kruger, who conceded nine runs in four overs, and Duanne Olivier who conceded 21 runs in nine overs.

LIONS:

Joshua Richards, Dominic Hendricks (capt), Muhammad Manack, Zubayr Hamza, Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Delano Potgieter, Bjorn Fortuin, Codi Yusuf, Tshepo Moreki, Lutho Sipamla, Kwena Maphaka.

WARRIORS:

Jordan Hermann, Diego Rosier, Matthew Breetzke (capt), Matthew de Villiers, Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), Patrick Kruger, Andile Mogakane, Beyers Swanepoel, Christopher King, Duanne Olivier, Siya Plaatjie.

Roelofsen and Kaplan put Boland on the front foot

Grant Roelofsen and Gavin Kaplan cruised to half-centuries as they helped Goldrush Boland to 128/1 in the morning session of day one of their CSA 4-Day Series match against the Renault Potchefstroom North-West Dragons at the JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, on Thursday.

Boland won the toss and elected to bat first. They had Grant Roelofsen (65*) and Gavin Kaplan (55*) at the crease at lunch.

Things didn't go well from the start for the visitors. They lost Pieter Malan in the second over. Boland was in trouble, with a score of 1/1 after 1.4 overs. However, Roelofsen and Kaplan joined forces and not only rebuilt the visitors' innings, they also put Boland on the front foot. The pair mounted an unbroken 127-run second-wicket partnership that took the game away from the hosts.

Roelofsen faced 75 deliveries on his way to his 12th first-class half-century. The 28-year-old is enjoying a purple patch with the bat. Roelofsen chalked a brilliant century, 115 runs off 178 balls, in Boland's last match. His effort helped Boland to register an emphatic victory over the Dafabet Warriors.

Kaplan was going at a quicker rate than his partner. The 26-year-old was going at a rate close to a run-a-ball and required only 51 deliveries on his way to a fourth first-class half-century. Kaplan is playing in his 10th first-class match, his third of the season. Two of his four 50s have come this season.

Ruan de Swardt was the pick of the bowlers for the Knights in the session. The pacer took a single wicket for 34 runs in nine overs. Kerwin Mungroo and Caleb Seleka had decent economy rates, both conceding at four runs an over. Mungroo conceded 36 runs in nine overs, while Seleka conceded 12 runs in three.

KNIGHTS:

Janneman Malan, Matthew Kleinveldt, Lesiba Ngoepe, Raynard van Tonder, Wihan Lubbe (capt), Ruan de Swardt, Taheer Isaacs (wk), Caleb Seleka, Kerwin Mungroo, Achille Cloete, Gideon Peters.

BOLAND:

Grant Roelofsen, Pieter Malan, Gavin Kaplan, Aviwe Mgijima, Clyde Fortuin (capt)(wk), Michael Copeland, Shaun von Berg, Keith Dudgeon, Ayabulela Gqamane, Jevano Baron, Glenton Stuurman.