Dean Elgar scored 113 in his second match for Somerset, but it wasn’t enough as they lost to Lancashire by 164 runs.
Lancashire vs Somerset
After decent starts of 34 and 27 last week, Elgar carried his bat through the first innings of Somerset’s match against Lancashire to finish unbeaten on 113, his side posting 278 in Manchester. Unfortunately for Elgar’s side, England hopeful Liam Livingstone scored 168 as Lancashire responded with a massive 463 from their 109 all out in the first innings. Elgar could only muster eight in the second innings as they were skittled for 130, leaving them 164 runs short. Former Proteas all-rounder Ryan McLaren played a significant part, taking 4-76 and 4-37 for Lancs.
Hampshire vs Yorkshire
It was another decent return for Hampshire’s Kyle Abbott. After taking five-wicket hauls in each of his first two matches, his 1-20 and 3-65 allowed him to stay second in the wicket-taking charts in Division One, with 20 scalps to his name. However, the star in the drawn match against Yorkshire was 36-year-old Capetonian Gareth Berg, who fell one run short of what would have been a third first-class century, before taking 4-62 with the ball. Zimbabwean-born Gary Ballance, with 21 Tests to his name for England, scored a century, and then a double century to raise his hopes of featuring against the Proteas in the Test series in July.
Gloucestershire vs Durham
After starting his County career with two and a duck for Durham, Proteas opener Stephen Cook responded with a healthy 64, as he struck up a 114-run stand with former U19 skipper Keaton Jennings for the side to post 419 in response to Gloucestershire’s 303. Cook would score a second-ball duck in the second innings, but the match was called a draw with Durham on 85-4, after Gloucestershire scored 320 in their second innings. 21-year-old Brydon Carse from Port Elizabeth weighed in with 1-57 and 2-61, in what was his first appearance of the season.
Leicestershire vs Glamorgan
There was another drawn match at Grace Road in Leicester, as Pierre de Bruyn‘s Leicestershire shared the spoils with Glamorgan. After smashing a century for the 2nd XI last week, Cameron Delport was brought in for Leicestershire, but could only return 20 and one coming in at No 6, as well as bowling seven wicketless overs throughout. Colin Ingram had an excellent time of it, scoring 137 runs in Glamorgan’s first innings, while Jacques Rudolph scored 58 off just 64 balls. Marchant de Lange took five wickets in the match for the Welsh outfit, with figures of 2-103 and 3-77. In the three matches both sides have played, neither have won yet this season.
