Determined Muthusamy keeps Warriors in contention as relegation looms

Warriors captain Senuran Muthusamy provided salvation for his side on a difficult opening day against the Dolphins, with a gritty and as yet unbeaten 93 at St George’s Park in their last match in this season’s Four-Day series. 

The Eastern Cape side, who are in danger of being relegated to Division 2, finished on 244/9 on Thursday, within touching distance of crucial third batting bonus point. It was Muthusamy, who has played in four Tests, who held the innings together after the Warriors had slumped to 40/4 in the first session after choosing to bat. 

The 31 year old all-rounder, has hit 13 fours and one six and already faced 198 balls, playing an innings that could prove crucial to the union’s future. 

Jordan Hermann, who might be lost to the province if the Warriors are relegated, was the only top order batter to keep a relentless Dolphins seam attack at bay in the morning, by scoring 52. 

Otherwise it was the visitors who dominated with opener Jivashen Pillay’s run out, followed by wickets for Eathan Bosch, Daryn Dupavillon and Tristan Luus, in the first session. 

A 74-run sixth wicket partnership between Muthusamy and Andile Mogakane, who made 36, provided respite for the Warriors, until Dolphins spinner, Prenelan Subrayen picked up two wickets and Okuhle Cele, struck with the second new ball, to earn the Dolphins a full house of bowling bonus points. 

Their mission in the morning is to pick up the final wicket and then earn as many batting points as possible as they continue their pursuit of a spot in the competition’s final.   

At Supersport Park the Titans found an unlikely hero in seam bowler Janco Smit, who paved the way for a fight back in their match against Boland.

The 21 year old, making his debut for the province, turned the first day of the match back in his side’s favour with two wickets immediately after lunch, after a listless first session in which the Boland openers dominated. 

Smit, a tall seamer, is the latest off the Tuks University club’s production line, picked up both of his wickets in the first over after the lunch interval dismissing Grant Roelofsen for 44 and then bowling Gavin Kaplan off the inside edge for nought. 

Roelfosen and Pieter Malan, playing in his 200th first class match, had given the visitors a solid start under cloudy skies in Centurion, sharing a partnership of 83 for the first wicket. 

Malan, fresh off scoring his 41st century a week ago, against Western Province at Newlands, was typically punchy, hitting 12 boundaries, in his as yet unbeaten 78. That innings is proving vital for Boland, who crashed from their lunch time total of 83/0 to 100/4 in just 11 overs. 

Inspired by Smit’s burst, Dayyaan Galiem then picked up Aviwe Mgijima’s wicket for one thanks to a brilliant diving catch by Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who is donning the wicketkeeping gloves for this fixture, while moments later Junior Dala had Clyde Reeves- Fortuin caught in the gully by Rivaldo Moonsamy.

Ferisco Adams stuck around briefly with Malan, before sloppily giving his wicket away to Neil Brandt, with Sibonelo Makhanya, showing he was fully recovered from his injury, by taking an excellent catch diving forward and to his right at mid-off. 

When rain ended play, Boland had reached 156/5. The Titans, one of three teams in contention for next week’s final, earned two bowling bonus points and will be hoping to add more on Friday, although the forecast is not good.

The rain in the interior of the country, also prevented any play in the other two matches in Potchefstroom, between Western Province and North West and in Bloemfontein where the Knights are hosting the defending champions the DP World Lions.