Fast bowler Sisanda Magala took 6-30 as the Central Gauteng Lions sealed an emphatic innings-and-20-run win over the EP Warriors in Gqeberha this past Sunday.
The Warriors began the day on 41-7 and 33 runs behind in the second innings. Magala added two wickets to his overnight figures of 4-17 to help the Lions complete a second-consecutive innings victory to start the season.
The Western Cape derby between the Boland Rocks and Western Province is evenly poised. WP ended their first innings on 440, with Tony de Zorzi scoring 129 and Shaun von Berg taking 5-119.
Trailing by 173 runs, Rocks opening batters Isma-eel Gafieldien (60*) and Pieter Malan (41*) chipped away at that deficit with a rear-guard century stand to take the home side to 106-0 at the close of play – 71 runs behind.
In Potchefstroom, the Free State Knights claimed an impressive 10-wicket victory over the North West Dragons.
After forcing the Dragons to follow on, the Bloemfontein-based side restricted their opponents to 197 all out, with Gerald Coetzee (4-47) leading the attack to set up a straightforward chase for his batters. Just 17 runs were required for victory, which the openers achieved after only 2.2 overs.
In Centurion, the KZN Dolphins bettered their opponents’ first-innings score by nine runs when they posted 433 all out on day three of their high-profile encounter.
Sarel Erwee (163) added 60 runs to his overnight score, while all-rounder Jason Smith (59) contributed a half-century. Simon Harmer claimed standout figures of 4-106 for the Titans.
The hosts responded with a controlled 126-1 to take a 117-run lead with one day to play. Opening duo Neil Brand (58) and Grant Mokoena (58) combined for a 125-run stand.
4-Day Series Day 3 scores:
Division One:
Boland Rocks lead Western Province by 71 runs
Rocks: 267 & 106-0 after 48 overs; I Gafieldien 60* (157), P Malan 41* (132)
WP: 440 after 156.2 overs; T de Zorzi 129 (283), Z Hamza 94 (160); S von Berg 5 – 119, H Viljoen 3-114
Northerns Titans lead KZN Dolphins by 117 runs
Titans: 424 & 126-1 after 32 overs; N Brand 58* (112), G Mokoena 58 (84); D Dupavillon 1-15
Dolphins: 433 after 147.2 overs; S Erwee 163 (370), B Parsons 78 (152); S Harmer 4-106, C Bosch 3-99
Central Gauteng Lions beat EP Warriors by an innings and 20 runs
Warriors: 96 & 54 after 34.1 overs; S Qeshile 11 (63), T van Vuuren 8 (45); S Magala 6-30, D Olivier 2-15
Lions: 170
Free State Knights beat North West Dragons by 10 wickets
Knights: 418 & 17-0 after 2.2 overs; J Snyman 15* (9), M Kleinveldt 2* (5)
Dragons: 237 & 197 (f/o) after 64 overs; W Marshall 24 (31), S Muthusamy 30 (64); G Coetzee 4-47, M Budaza 2-52
Division Two:
South Western Districts need 207 runs to beat Mpumalanga Rhinos
Rhinos: 311 & 104 after 38.1 overs; G Adams 21 (26), L Peters 19 (54); O Nyaku 2-16, S Majeza 2-18
SWD: 209 after 60.4 overs; Y Valli 86 (189), B Capell 55 (72); J Hinrichsen 4-71, A Kok 3-27
KZN Inland Tuskers trail Northern Cape Heat by 69 runs
Heat: 333 & 256-6 after 80 overs; E Kemm 121 (235), E Jones 34 (36); K Dudgeon 3-76, M Erlank 2-37
Tuskers: 322 after 87.1 overs; L Schlemmer 63 (105), T Koekemoer 52 (115); J van Dyk 4-69, B Swanepoel 2-47
Limpopo Impalas trail Eastern Storm by 270 runs
Storm: 441
Impalas: 261 & 185-3 after 53 overs; L Kaestner 65* (148), T Hobson 44 (53);D Botha 1-14, C August 1-17
