Dolphins shocked Sunfoil Series leaders Titans by handing them an innings and 54 run thrashing in Durban.
The Dolphins top-order all prospered before Ryan McLaren hit a century to propel them to 508 for eight declared. Kyle Abbott then took eight wickets as Titans were bowled out for 208 and then 246.
The match had begun with the visitors winning the toss and electing to insert the hosts – a decision they would come to regret. They did enjoy a brief moment of success when Divan van Wyk was caught off Marchant de Lange for three, but a second-wicket stand of 129 between Imraan Khan and Daniel Sincuba (41) set the tone for the remainder of the innings.
Khan would be caught off Farhaan Behardien for 60, but Vaughn van Jaarsveld (67), David Miller (50) and Morne van Wyk (57) also notched half-centuries. McLaren then took the match away from Titans during a seventh-wicket stand of 101 with Andile Phehlukwayo (42). He ended on 126 off 185 balls when van Wyk called his men in.
An opening stand of 48 for Titans gave them a solid start in their reply, but only Behardien prospered thereafter by hitting 96. Dolphins seamers Craig Alexander and Abbott took three wickets apiece, while Keshav Maharaj helped mop up the tail with a brace of wickets with his left-arm spin.
Asked to follow-on, their second innings was only marginally more successful as young opener Theunis de Bruyn top-scored with a fluent 77. There were other contributions from Roelof van der Merwe (43), David Wiese (32) and de Lange (33 not out), but Abbott ended with five for 49 as they were all out 54 runs short of making the hosts bat again.
A high-scoring draw was the result in Paarl between Knights and Cape Cobras. Knights won the toss on day one, chose to bat, and racked up 570 before declaring just five wickets down.
Reeza Hendricks was the first of three men to three-figures, adding partnerships of 94 with Rudi Second (22) and 123 with Pite van Biljon prior to falling for 157. Obus Pienaar then joined van Biljon and the pair added a further 240 for the fifth-wicket as both reached their milestones. Off-spinner Dane Piedt, returning from a shoulder injury, got through 47 overs and returned figures of one for 162.
Cobras then made a promising start thanks to an opening stand of 112 between Richard Levi and Andrew Puttick. A mini-collapse of three for 15 courtesy of Corne Dry (3-89) gave the visitors brief hope of pressing for a win, but they were soon scotched. Yaseen Vallie hit 117 and shared 61 with night-watchman Mthokozisi Shezi (18 off 149 balls) for the fourth-wicket; 71 with skipper Justin Ontong (37) for the fifth; and 108 with Dane Vilas (64) before being trapped LBW by Werner Coetsee.
Justin Kemp then took Cobras past 500 with a measured 73, enjoying useful support from Rory Kleinveldt (35) to put on 69 for the eighth-wicket. Coetsee wrapped up the innings by bowling Piedt for 17 to end with figures of four for 85 from almost 53 overs.
Daniel Grummitt
He worked for CricketWorld.com for almost three years, leading their county and domestic cricket coverage and contributing to a book about the 2012 ICC World Twenty20, before joining the hugely ambitious World Cricket Badger early in 2014.
The first Test that he remembers watching was on Channel 4 - back before the ECB marginalised potential future fans by selling the TV rights to Sky Sports - when England beat Pakistan by an innings and nine runs at Lord’s.
Besides a passion for domestic cricket, he also has an unexplainable interest in all things Zimbabwe cricket!
Latest posts by Daniel Grummitt (see all)
- LOGAN CUP: Tuskers crowned champions - March 6, 2015
- LOGAN CUP: Rhinos win keeps pressure on Tuskers - March 5, 2015
- LOGAN CUP: Sibanda hits century, Tuskers take control - March 4, 2015
