Delicately poised after day two in Oudshoorn:
Another to-and-fro day of Sunfoil Series cricket saw neither the Hollywoodbets Dolphins or the WSB Cape Cobras take the initiative on day two of their clash at the Recreation Ground in Oudtshoorn on Tuesday.
Looking to wipe out the 327 run discrepancy, the best opportunity to exert dominance, arguably, fell to the home side when they were 200/3, however the dogged Dolphins attitude, that they have established in recent times, saw them restrict the hosts to 284/6, with a deficit of 43 runs at the close of play.
The Dolphins continued their innings at the start of day two and Dane Vilas continued from where he left off going past 150 crucial runs for his franchise.
Keith Dudgeon fell early on the second day for 5 when he became Vernon Philander’s fourth victim and number 11 Kerwin Mungroo hung around with Vilas until the latter was dismissed, LBW to Mthiwekhaya Nabe, for 161.
Vilas’ telling contribution took his side to a respectable 327 all out.
The Cobras got off to a positive start against the inexperienced Mungroo and Dudgeon before Mungroo accounted for the wicket of Simon Khomari, LBW for 10. The score was 28/1 in just over six overs at the loss of their first wicket.
Zubayr Hamza joined the positive Pieter Malan at the wicket at first drop and the pair steadily built a strong partnership that threatened to tilt the game in the hosts’ favour.
The duo put on 92 runs for the second wicket before Calvin Savage got into the wickets column, seeing the end of Malan, caught by Dudgeon for 56.
Another partnership blossomed when Justin Ontong joined Hamza and the two added another 80 runs to the total before Hamza’s departure for 88, caught and bowled by Senuran Muthusamy. The Cobras were 200/3 and trailing the Dolphins by 127 when the in-form Aviwe Mgijima strode to the wicket.
The scoreboard had ticked along to 232/4 before a double strike for the Dolphins saw the end of Ontong, LBW to Sibz Makhanya for 49, and then Mgijima, bowled by Mungroo for 24, saw the men from the Cape stumble to 234/6.
Day three will see Vernon Philander resume his innings on 18 while Kyle Verreynne will begin on 19, with their partnership currently at 34 runs.
The young Kerwin Mungroo was the pick of the Dolphins bowlers on the second day as he finished with 2/41 in 15 overs, conceding just over 2.5 runs per over.
For more information go to www.dolphinscricket.co.za
Vilas ton boosts Dolphins on day one in Oudtshoorn:
An opening day hundred from Dane Vilas steadied the Hollywoodbets Dolphins ship as they finished the day one of the Sunfoil Series clash with the WSB Cape Cobras at the Recreation Ground in Oudtshoorn on 310/8, on Monday.
The veteran was the strongest Dolphins batsman against his former franchise as he took the attack to the bowling finishing on 145 not out from 177 deliveries which included 18 boundaries and one six.
The toss saw the hosts put the Dolphins in to bat, and it was Proteas opening bowler Vernon Philander who struck in the first over when he had Senuran Muthusamy caught behind by Kyle Verreyne without troubling the scorers.
There was more trouble soon after that when make-shift opener Morné van Wyk was bowled by Lizaad Williams for two leaving the Dolphins 11/2 in eight overs.
Form batsmen for the Dolphins Vaughn van Jaarsveld and Cody Chetty began to rebuild patiently and took the Dolphins past 50 before Van Jaarsveld fell for 35, a second catch for wicket-keeper Verreyne off the bowling of Jason Smith.
Captain Khaya Zondo, playing in his 100th First-Class match for the Dolphins, then joined Chetty. The pair were circumspect in the way they went about their business and took their partnership to 42 and the Dolphins to 100 before Chetty fell for 43 – the score 100-4.
Zondo continued to plug away at the one end while Dane Vilas looked positive from the other scoring at close to a run a ball. Zondo’s vigil came to an end when he was on 41, caught by Cobras captain Dane Piedt off Jason Smith.
Vilas carried on positively and went to a second consecutive half century off just 51 deliveries.
Sibz Makhanya was patient but couldn’t take his score past 10 before he became Williams’ second victim, trapped in front.
Calvin Savage came and went leaving Vilas to go to his first hundred for the Dolphins and his fourteenth first-class century.
Prenelan Subrayen and Vilas put on 68 runs for the eighth wicket before the former became Philander’s third victim with the score on 300.
Dolphins debutant Keith Dudgeon then joined Vilas in the twilight hours in the Klein Karoo town and the pair guided their team to the close of play.
Vilas will begin the second day of the contest just shy of 150 and Dudgeon will continue on 4.
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