Senuran Muthusamy played a captain's knock to dig the Dafabet Warriors out of a hole on day one of their CSA 4-Day Series encounter against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins at Dafabet St George's Park on Thursday.
The Warriors were on 244-9 at stumps.
The hosts won the toss and elected to bat first. Things went sideways for them almost immediately.
They lost quick wickets and were in danger of being bowled out for a low total when Muthusamy arrived in the middle and singlehandedly steered them to respectability.
At stumps, Muthusamy (93*) was in the company of Renaldo Meyer (0*).
The Warriors captain watched five of his partners come and go as he compiled a patient 93 off 199 balls.
This is his 31st half-century. He faced 143 deliveries to reach the milestone.
The Warriors were floundering on 40-4 when Muthusamy arrived at the crease.
The hosts needed their captain to construct a big partnership with Jordan Hermann.
The left-handed opener was the mainstay of the Warriors' innings through a difficult morning session.
Hermann and Muthusamy stitched together a 40-run fifth-wicket partnership.
It was during this stand that Hermann unfurled a four through the covers to bring up his 14th first-class half-century in 100 balls.
Unfortunately, he couldn't kick on and was undone by a brilliant delivery from Eathan Bosch that castled his stumps to fall for 52 off 118 balls.
Muthusamy followed that up with a 74-run sixth-wicket partnership with Andile Mogakane (36) that provided the hosts with momentum.
That stand was succeeded by a 67-run seventh-wicket partnership Muthusamy shared with CJ King (24).
Those three partnerships helped the Warriors go past the 200-run mark.
Eathan Bosch was the Dolphins' most successful bowler with two wickets for 31 runs in 16 overs.
He was one of the three bowlers employed by Sarel Erwee, the Dolphins captain, who bagged a brace of wickets each on day one.
Tristan Luus and Prenelan Subrayen were the other two.
WARRIORS: Jiveshan Pillay, Jordan Hermann, Matthew de Villiers, JP King, Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), Senuran Muthusamy (capt), Andile Mogakane, CJ King, Jason Raubenheimer, Siyabulela Plaatjie, Renaldo Meyer.
DOLPHINS: Sarel Erwee (capt), Tshepang Dithole (wk), Bryce Parsons, Jason Smith, Khaya Zondo, Romashan Pillay, Eathan Bosch, Prenelan Subrayen, Daryn Dupavillon, Tristan Luus, Okuhle Cele.