DAY 1: Dolphins in control, Warriors fight back, Roelofsen, Kaplan pile on runs

Dithole's ton puts Dolphins in control
 
Tshepang Dithole scored a brilliant century to help the Hollywoodbets Dolphins reach 219/2 at tea on day one of their CSA 4-Day Series match against the Knights at the Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein, on Thursday.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat first. They made the best use of conditions as they powered to a score of more than 200 for the loss of two wickets in two sessions. They had Slade van Staden (74*) and Bradley Porteous (9*) at the crease at the interval.

Dithole took his time to get to 50 runs. He chewed up 107 balls for that. However, he went at a quicker rate as motored to his fourth first-class century. He needed 71 more deliveries to reach the milestone, for a total of 178 balls for his ton. The 31-year-old shared an outstanding 161-run second-wicket partnership with Slade van Staden.

For his part, Van Staden batted excellently on his way to a fourth first-class half-century. The 21-year-old faced 95 deliveries on his way to the milestone. At tea, he had shared an unbroken 15-run third-wicket partnership with Porteous.

Aubrey Swanepoel was the only successful bowler for the Knights in the session. He dismissed Tshepang Dithole and had figures that read one wicket for 24 runs in five overs. Malusi Siboto, the only other wicket-taker in the day, had a single wicket for 17 runs in eight overs.

KNIGHTS:

Jacques Snyman, Lesego Senokwane, Gihahn Cloete (wk), Patrick Botha, Dian Forrester, Aubrey Swanepoel, Aaron Phangiso, Tiaan van Vuuren, Matthew Pollard, Dane Piedt (capt), Malusi Siboto.

DOLPHINS:

Sarel Erwee (capt), Tshepang Dithole (wk), Slade van Staden, Bryce Parsons, Jason Smith, Romashan Pillay, Jon-Jon Smuts, Andile Simelane, Prenelan Subrayen, Daryn Dupavillon, Okuhle Cele.

Warriors fight back

The Dafabet Warriors' bowling attack took three wickets in the post-lunch session to leave the DP World Lions on 154/4 at tea on day one of their CSA 4-Day Series match at the DP World Wanderers on Thursday.

The hosts won the toss and elected to bat first. At tea, they had Dominic Hendricks (81*) and Delano Potgieter (15*) at the crease.

Patrick Kruger was the first bowler to strike after lunch. The medium pacer emerged from the lunch break revitalised and kept attacking the line of the fourth stump. The home side had added only nine runs to their morning tally when he struck, dismissing Muhammad Manack, breaking a 78-run second-wicket partnership. Kruger now has 50 first-class wickets.

His bowling partner, Duanne Olivier had to wait for 7.2 overs before he also got his reward for setting a trap for Zubayr Hamza. Olivier sent down a back-of-a-length delivery which caught the edge of Hamza's bat as it flew to Kruger at second slip.

Beyers Swanepoel was the sole wicket-taker in the morning session. The pacer bagged his second 4.2 overs after Hamza's dismissal. Unlike the two preceding wickets, this one wasn't caught behind. Swanepoel adopted his stump-to-stump line that earned him a wicket early in the day. However, instead of an lbw, this time he breached Connor Esterhuizen's defences to castle him.

The bright spot for the Lions in that session was Dominic Hendricks' half-century. The Lions' opener registered his 52nd first-class half-century in 109 balls as he soldiered on. The 34-year-old is the Lions' second highest-ever run-scorer, and he showed why with a resolute knock.

Beyers Swanepoel was the pick of the bowlers for the Warriors with two wickets for 16 runs in 13 overs.

LIONS:

Joshua Richards, Dominic Hendricks (capt), Muhammad Manack, Zubayr Hamza, Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Delano Potgieter, Bjorn Fortuin, Codi Yusuf, Tshepo Moreki, Lutho Sipamla, Kwena Maphaka.

WARRIORS:

Jordan Hermann, Diego Rosier, Matthew Breetzke (capt), Matthew de Villiers, Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), Patrick Kruger, Andile Mogakane, Beyers Swanepoel, Christopher King, Duanne Olivier, Siya Plaatjie.

Roelofsen and Kaplan pile on runs for Boland

Grant Roelofsen and Gavin Kaplan were unrelenting as they piled on more runs in the post-lunch period to push Goldrush Boland to 273/1 at tea in their CSA 4-Day Series match against the Renault Potchefstroom North-West Dragons at the JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, on Thursday.

Boland, who won the toss and elected to bat first, stepped on the accelerator, adding 145 runs to their morning session tally. The visitors had Grant Roelofsen (131*) and Gavin Kaplan (125*) at the crease at the interval.

After lunch, Roelofsen had gotten a good measure of the pitch. He played a more flowing innings for his second 50 of the innings. The 28-year-old faced 75 balls to reach 50 runs and required only 55 more deliveries to go to 100. He faced a total of 130 balls to reach his 10th century.

In the morning session, Kaplan was the more aggressive one, facing 51 deliveries to reach 50 runs. However, after lunch, the two batters had swapped roles. Kaplan was the foil. He faced 72 more deliveries for the second 50 runs. The 26-year-old faced 123 balls to reach his second first-class century.

Ruan de Swardt was the only wicket-taker for the Knights in the first two sessions with a single wicket for 43 runs in 13 overs. The other notable bowlers were Wihan Lubbe, who conceded 33 runs in nine overs, and Kerwin Mungroo, who conceded 59 runs in 12 overs.

KNIGHTS:

Janneman Malan, Matthew Kleinveldt, Lesiba Ngoepe, Raynard van Tonder, Wihan Lubbe (capt), Ruan de Swardt, Taheer Isaacs (wk), Caleb Seleka, Kerwin Mungroo, Achille Cloete, Gideon Peters.

BOLAND:

Grant Roelofsen, Pieter Malan, Gavin Kaplan, Aviwe Mgijima, Clyde Fortuin (capt)(wk), Michael Copeland, Shaun von Berg, Keith Dudgeon, Ayabulela Gqamane, Jevano Baron, Glenton Stuurman.