DAY 2:Western Province in trouble at tea against Lions

A late flurry of wickets saw World Sports Betting Western Province stumble to 83/4 in their first innings at tea on day two, in their CSA 4-Day match against the DP World Lions at DP World Wanderers in Johannesburg on Friday.

That was in response to the Lions first innings of 403/6 declared, and Western Province will need to improve in the days final session if they want to get themselves anywhere close to that score.

The Lions surprisingly declared at lunch, with captain Dominic Hendricks unbeaten at the crease on 161, along with Bjorn Fortuin who had struck three sixes and a boundary in a brisk 38 off 34 balls, and with some poor weather predicted for the weekend that may have influenced their decision.

The start of the second session was delayed by 40 minutes due to lightening, but once back on Western Province got off to a decent enough start as Jonathan Bird (15) and Eddie Moore (28) shared in a 40-run stand for the first wicket.

However the dismissal of Bird, caught by Lutho Siplamla off the bowling of Tshepo Moreki, started a slide that saw four wickets fall for just 20 runs.

Yaseen Vallie (12) was run out by Fortuin, Daniel Smith was trapped LBW by Sipamla, and Moore edged Codi Yusuf to keeper Connor Esterhuizen, as Province slipped to 60/4.

Debutant Bongi Mfunelwa (8no) and George Linde (13no) then took them to tea, and they will hope to build a good partnership during the days final session.

HENDRIKS DOMINANT

The morning session belonged completely to Hendriks, as he converted the hundred he brought up late on day one into a big century that Put the Lions well on top at lunch

At the start of play they resumed on 268/3, with Hendricks and Khaya Fakude (17) sharing in a 50-run fourth wicket partnership, before Fakude was the first to fall, caught by Moore off the bowling of Onke Nyaku with the score 293/4.

Esterhuizen, 21 off 25, came in and showed some impetus, striking four boundaries, but was then caught by Mihlali Mpongwana off the bowling of Mthiwekhaya Nabe, leaving the Lions on 324/5.

Delano Potgieter (5) didn’t offer much before spinner Kyle Simmonds had him caught by Jody Lawrence, and at 353/6, Hendricks was starting to run out of batting partners.

But Fortuin came in with some counter attacking flair to help Hendricks get them over the 400-run mark and to lunch without further trouble.

DP WORLD LIONS: Joshua Richards, Dominic Hendricks (capt), Muhammad Manack, Zubayr Hamza, Khaya Fakude, Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Delano Potgieter, Bjorn Fortuin, Codi Yusuf, Tshepo Moreki, Lutho Sipamla

WORLD SPORTS BETTING WESTERN PROVINCE: Edward Moore, Jonothan Bird, Yaseen Vallie, Daniel Smith (wk), Bongi Mfunelwa, George Linde (capt), Mihlali Mpongwana, Onke Nyaku, Kyle Simmonds, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Jody Lawrence