Sarel Erwee continued his rich run of form with a second century in three innings as the Dolphins edged the Knights on the opening day of their 4-Day Domestic Series encounter in Durban on Monday.

The hosts lost just four wickets at an overcast Kingsmead, but they also only managed to score 207 in 96 overs – a run rate of 2.15 to the over.

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That was partly due to the slow nature of the wicket and some good bowling by the visitors, who were solid throughout.

But they failed to remove the one man that mattered most as Erwee went on to complete his seventh career century.

The left-hander, who made 136 and 50 in last week’s crunch win over the log-leading Imperial Lions, batted for the entire day and faced 291 balls along the way, with only nine boundaries struck.

He was there when the Dolphins won the toss and opted to bat first, watching as the home side lost two big wickets early on in Grant Roelofsen (2) and Marques Ackerman (5).

It was 22-2 at that stage and was then 54-3 when Vaughn van Jaarsveld fell for 20. Then came the recovery via Erwee and Sibonelo Makhanya (44) as the pair shared in a 104-run fourth-wicket stand.

However, Patrick Kruger – the most expensive of the bowlers with one for 20 in six overs – eventually got the breakthrough, leaving Senuran Muthusamy (20) and Erwee to carry their side through to stumps with an unbroken 49-run fifth wicket stand.

Mbulelo Budaza (1-12) was the best of the bowlers after an outstanding 11 overs, while Corne Dry collected 1-31 in 16 overs.

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