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Day 2: Triple delight for super Stubbs, Province dominate Dolphins

rugby22 February 2024 13:57| © MWP
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Tristan Stubbs and Matthew Breetzke © Gallo Images

Tristan Stubbs hit his first triple-century as the Dafabet Warriors reached 517 for three in 127 overs in their first innings on the second day of their CSA 4-Day Series match against the AEK Tuskers on a day when bad light interrupted play for long periods.

When the umpires took the players off the field for the second and final time in the afternoon after only 29 overs of play, Stubbs had been given just enough time to squeeze in his triple-ton.

He finally finished unbeaten on 302 (372 balls, 37x4s, 6x6s) with his team likely to declare overnight.

Earlier, the Warriors resumed on their overnight total of 368 for two in 98 overs with Stubbs, who had already reached his double-hundred, continuing to dominate the Tuskers’ bowlers along with Matthew Breetzke.

The pair quickly broke the all-time franchise record of 361 for the third wicket and were within seven runs of the biggest partnership for any wicket (480) set by Dean Elgar and Rilee Rossouw for the Titans in 2009/10 when Breetzke was finally dismissed, slashing Mondli Khumalo to backward point.

Breetzke, who, like Stubbs, is best known for his white-ball batting, scored a career-best 188 in 333 balls, including 18 fours.

Their partnership of 473 came in 110 overs after the visitors found themselves two down for 20 in 10 overs. Thereafter, however, the batters held sway.

Stubbs reached his special mark in the 126th over when he nudged offspinner Daelen Fynn for a comfortable two through midwicket.

He raised his bat in triumph and saluted his teammates and fellow batter Sinethemba Qeshile.

Paceman Khumalo was the most successful bowler for the Tuskers, claiming 3-92 in 25 overs while Keith Dudgeon was the most economical, conceding 67 runs in his 23 overs.

TUSKERS: Cameron Shekleton; Daelen Fynn; Jared Meiring; Kagiso Rapulana; Keith Dudgeon; Malcolm Nofal; Michael Erlank (c); Mondli Khumalo; Ntando Zuma (wk); Smangaliso Nhlebela; Yaseen Valli

WARRIORS: Beyers Swanepoel; Jiveshan Pillay; Jordan Hermann; Matthew Breetzke (c); Patrick Kruger; Renaldo Meyer; Rudi Second; Sinethemba Qeshile; Siya Plaatjie; Siya Simetu; Tristan Stubbs

REMORSELESS PROVINCE TAKE COMMAND AGAINST FLACCID DOLPHINS

Western Province declared their first innings on a mammoth 592 for six with three of their batsmen scoring centuries before taking five cheap Hollywoodbets Dolphins’ wickets as the home team put in a charge for victory on the second day of their key CSA 4-Day Series match at Newlands.

The Dolphins, who lost all their wickets to poor shots, finished a dreadful day for the visitors on 175 for five, still a massive 417 in arrears – and on a superb pitch for batting as well.

Province must win this match to give themselves a chance of making next week’s final.

They have certainly begun their task well, claiming six batting bonus points and two bowling points to the one batting and one bowling point earned by the Dolphins.

But because they were 11 points behind the log-leading Dolphins at the start of the match, they will need a win to gain the extra points. That certainly is beginning to look likely now.

Province kept their opponents in the field for nearly 150 overs to ensure that they were tired, frustrated and vulnerable, and so it proved as all five dismissals were soft ones.

When skipper Kyle Verreynne finally called a halt to the Province innings towards tea, the Dolphins were faced with the task of batting out the rest of the match.

The visitors made a solid start, reaching the tea break on 38 without loss with openers Tshepang Dithole (21) and Sarel Erwee (12) at the crease.

Erwee had one alarm when he took a sharply rising delivery from paceman Nandre Burger on his right hand and needed extensive repairs. He finally recovered to continue.

But shortly after tea, Dithole clipped an innocuous delivery from Beuran Hendricks straight to Wesley Bedja at midwicket and then Erwee, who had looked comfortable, pulled a short-pitched delivery from Burger for four before receiving a similar “effort” delivery immediately afterwards that he clothed to Kyle Simmonds at midwicket.

Marques Ackerman had played brightly for his 45 in 49 balls, including eight fours and a six, but then he got too ambitious, made a mess of his lofted drive off left-arm spinner Simmonds and holed out.

DESTRUCTIVE BATTING

Bryce Parsons reached 44 in a similar entertaining vein to Ackerman, then lunged down the pitch to Simmonds before guiding the ball to slip.

And when Jason Smith pulled a long-hop from Onke Nyaku straight to midwicket, Province must have thought Christmas had come again.

In truth, there has only been one team, Province, that has looked like it wants to win this match and they made excellent progress on this front on Thursday.

Earlier, resuming on their overnight total of 399 for three, Gavin Kaplan struck his first first-class century and Kyle Verreynne his ninth as Western Province continued to dominate the largely lacklustre bowling of the Dolphins.

No wickets fell during the morning session as Kaplan and Verreynne settled into their respective innings once again on a placid pitch.

Kaplan, who was 93 overnight, quickly went to his hundred in just his sixth first-class game, while Verrynne followed him soon afterwards.

Kaplan finished the session undefeated on 142 (253 balls, 19x4s) while Verreynne, even more destructive, was on 107 (122 balls, 8x4s, 6x6s).

Verreynne eventually fell for an aggressive 135 (142 balls, 8x4s, 9x6s) and then Kaplan was dismissed for 173 (298 balls, 20x4s, 1x6) before the declaration came.

The only Dolphins’ bowler to really show up in lights was offspinner Prenelan Subrayen whose hard work and discipline on a placid pitch was rewarded with figures of 4-86 in 35.4 overs.

WESTERN PROVINCE: Kyle Verreynne (capt, wk), Beuran Hendricks, Daniel SmiGaKaplan, Kyle Simmonds, Mohammad Vallie, Nandre Burger, Onke Nyaku, Tony de Zorzi, Valentine Kitme, Wesley Bedja

HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS: Sarel Erwee (capt), Tshepang Dithole (wk), Andile Simelane, Bryce Parsons, Eathan Bosch, Jason Smith, Jon-Jon Smuts, Marques Ackerman, Okuhle Cele, Ottniel Baartman, Prenelan Subrayen


Report Day 1

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