JP King scored an outstanding century to help the Dafabet Warriors regain control of their CSA 4-Day Series encounter against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins at Dafabet St George's Park on Saturday. At stumps, the Dolphins were on 37 for two.
The visitors need runs to win with eight wickets in hand. The hosts elected to bat first on day one and managed 264 runs. The Dolphins replied with a 208-run total. King played an excellent hand to lead the Warriors to 325 and a 381-run lead. The Dolphins had Tshepang Dithole (17*) and Bryce Parsons (0*) at the crease at the close of play.
Senuran Muthusamy inched the Warriors towards victory with two wickets shortly before the end of the day. He accounted for Sarel Erwee and Daryn Dupavillon in consecutive deliveries. He finished the day with two wickets for no runs in a single over.
King carved 14 fours and five sixes on his way to 143 off 179 balls. He seemed to be batting on a different surface. None of the other Warriors' batters reached the 50-run mark. The next best batter for the hosts was Jiveshan Pillay with 40 off 72 deliveries.
The Warriors were in dire straits when King arrived at the crease. They had lost two wickets for four runs in five deliveries and were about to lose two more for 13 runs in 6.3 overs.
KING REIGNS SUPREME
The Warriors needed a notable contribution from someone. King did not disappoint. He helped arrest the procession of wickets by adding 82 runs for the sixth wicket with Andile Mogakane. He was also part of the Warriors' second-highest partnership, a 63-run eighth-wicket stand with Jason Raubenheimer.
Raubenheimer dropped anchor and accumulated 27 runs in 65 balls while supporting King's march to a maiden first-class century. King's innings was eventually ended by Tristan Luus. The 19-year-old pacer sent down a short delivery in the 84th over. King miscued the cut short and holed out to Bryce Parsons at third man.
The wicket was Luus' fifth of the day and the innings. This is the seamer's maiden first-class five-wicket haul. He finished the match with five wickets for 90 runs in 25 overs. His effort was complemented by Okuhle Cele. The 27-year-old took four of the remaining five wickets. Cele finished with four wickets for 51 runs in 14.1 overs. He cleaned up Renaldo Meyer to complete his eighth first-class four-wicket haul.
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.