DAY 2: Romashan Pillay leads Dolphins recovery at close

An unbeaten half century from Romashan Pillay led a strong recovery from the Hollywoodbets Dolphins as they reached the close of play on day two on 244/7 in their first innings in their CSA 4-day series match against the Renault North West Dragons at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead on Friday.

The hosts trail the visitors first innings score of 311 all out by 67 runs, and have Pillay to thank for getting them this far, after he struck a fighting 64no off 122 balls (5x4; 3x6), and he will hope for some help from the lower order on Saturday’s morning session.

Pillay arrived at the crease just before tea with the Dolphins in big trouble on 135/5, and after the break were reduced to 150/6 when Hanu Viljoen (20) popped a catch to Rubin Hermann off the bowling of Odirile Modimokoane.

That brought Keshav Maharaj (39) to the crease and along with Pillay they set about a recovery job, sharing in a 91-run seventh wicket partnership to get the Dolphins back into the game.

Just as they looked like they would reach the close unscathed, Maharaj was caught by Caleb Saleka off the bowling of Matthew Kleinveldt, leaving Prenelan Subrayen (1no) at the crease with Pillay when stumps was called.

Earlier in the day the Dolphins cleaned up the Dragons tail before getting their innings off to a good start, followed by the visitors fighting back brilliantly in the post lunch session, as they picked up four wickets while conceding just 66 runs.

Resuming on 69/1, Bryce Parsons (35) fell soon after the resumption, caught by Raynard van Tonder off the bowling of Ruan de Swardt, to end a solid 64-run second wicket stand with Sarel Erwee (55), leaving them on 74/2.

Erwee continued on to a good half century and added 23 to the score with Jason Smith (8) before both fell in quick succession, Smith bowled by Seleka and Erwee caught by Hermann off the bowling of Bamanye Xenxe, as they slipped to 105/4.

Khaya Zondo (14) and Viljoen tried to rally to tea, but just before the break Zondo was bowled by Modimokoane, leaving Viljoen and Pillay together at the break.

In the morning the Dragons resumed their first innings on 276/7, with De Swardt (75) and Seleka (16) extending their eighth wicket stand to 32-runs.

Okuhle Cele then made the breakthrough, bowling Seleka, leading to the final three wickets falling for five runs, as Subrayen bowled Modimokoane for a nine ball duck, and De Swardt was caught by Daryn Dupavillon off Cele to end the innings.

Subrayen was the pick of the bowlers, with solid figures of 4/91, while Seleka, 3/49, and Dupavillon, 2/67, backed him up well.

The Dolphins innings got off to a rocky start as Tshepang Dithole (2) edged Xenxe to keeper Janneman Malan at the start of the fourth over, with the score 10/1.

But Erwee and Parsons settled in with a strong unbeaten 59-run partnership to take the hosts comfortably to lunch.

HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS: Tshepang Dithole Sarel Erwee, Khaya Zondo, Bryce Parsons, Jason Smith, Romashan Pillay, Hanu Viljoen (wk), Prenelan Subrayen, Keshav Maharaj (capt), Okuhle Cele, Darryn Dupavillon

RENAULT NORTH WEST DRAGONS: Matthew Kleinveldt, Janneman Malan (wk), Lesiba Ngoepe, Raynard van Tonder, Wihan Lubbe (capt), Ruan de Swardt, Rubin Hermann, Bamanye Xenxe, Caleb Seleka, Odirile Modimokoane, Lutendo Tsanwani