Lions captain Nicky van den Bergh led from the front with the bat as he smashed an unbeaten 217 in Benoni to earn Wednesday’s Play of the Day award, writes ANITHA MADIKIZELA.
Van den Bergh resumed with his overnight 40 to score a rip-roaring 217 not out at a strike rate of 95.59 – which included a mammoth 29 fours and two fantastic sixes from the 227 balls he faced.
The captain led the Lions’ charge from the front as he partnered with Dominic Hendricks (197 off 453 balls, 20×4) to post 390 runs for the fifth wicket as the two frustrated the Titans bowlers for the majority of the day.
READ MORE: Hendricks, Van den Bergh shatter records in Benoni
The partnership with Van den Bergh was 390, just 3 short of the domestic 5th-wicket record of 393 set by Duminy & Vilas for Cobras v Lions in Paarl 2015/16.
— Ken Borland (@KenBorland) January 16, 2019
Van den Bergh took the attack to the Titans from the get-go and never really looked back. He required just 127 balls to reach his first century during the morning session, before picking up his already rapid pace – needing just 84 more deliveries to get to his second.
Having well surpassed the Titans’ first innings score of 229, the Lions stayed out in the hopes of getting two double centurions on the scorecard, but Hendricks was unlucky to fall just three runs short of the milestone after a marathon innings at the crease that lasted 10-and-a-half hours.
Update: A double ton from Nicky vd Bergh (217*) helped the #Lions to a first innings total of 593/5d
A Agathangelou (12*) and V Mahlangu (6*) have opened the 2nd innings batting for @Titans_Cricket
The score is 18/0 after 3 overs played, the Lions lead by 346 runs#TTNvLIO pic.twitter.com/HQgMXHYWh9
— Lions Cricket (@LionsCricketSA) January 16, 2019
Van den Bergh led his charges to a dominant position following his captain’s knock, and having already reduced the Titans to 95-5 in their second innings, will be hoping the Lions get the job done on Thursday as they eye the top of the table.
Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
