The first round of the Four-Day Franchise Series produced more results in that time period than Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) board did in two years. The three winning teams produced centurions who drove the game for their teams, quite nicely setting up the second round that begins on Monday. Here’s how the long-awaited round of domestic cricket went, even though there was no live streaming.
Dolphins v Lions
The Dolphins, who finished last season’s Four-Day Franchise with two wins and a draw, started where they left off with a nine-wicket victory against the Lions. The Dolphins started well with the ball by rolling the Lions for 259 in 89.1 overs, with Reeza Hendricks (76) and Ryan Rickelton (60) top-scoring for the visitors. The Dolphins lost Grant Roelofsen, but a 337-run second-wicket stand between Sarel Erwee (199) and Keegan Petersen (173) effectively settled the game at Kingsmead in Durban. Marques Ackerman’s 52 embellished the Dolphins’ total of 458/3. The Lions had no response as they were bowled out for 210, with starts from Hendricks (38), Rickelton (35) and Bjorn Fortuin (37), while Proteas’ first-choice spinner, Keshav Maharaj, wheeled away for 38.1 overs in collecting 6/101.
Knights v Warriors
The Warriors, who were always on a hiding to nothing after losing six players, were caned by 189 runs. When Jacques Snyman belted a pre-lunch 100 off 71 balls, the first pre-lunch, first-session ton since 2010, the dye was cast by the Knights, who then proceeded to score 430/6, with 50s from Raynard van Tonder (85), Pite van Biljon (53) and Farhaan Behardien (75). The Warriors didn’t put up much of a fight with the bat, with scores of 158 and 186, but gave the Knights a small scare in their second innings at Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein when they were forced to declare on 93/8, with Snyman top-scoring with 33. It was Allan Donald’s first game as Knights coach and he was chuffed by the performance on a flat track. “To bowl them out on that pitch, it wasn’t a 158 pitch, but we bowled with a lot of pressure and presence. We bowled well in partnership and the wickets were shared. We’ve protected the partnerships really well and we came in with pressure all day on a flat track. That was all we could ask for,” Donald said.
Cape Cobras v Titans
This was a game-and-a-half at Newlands in Cape Town, where the Titans chased down 316. Their win was on the back of centuries from their Proteas. Dean Elgar held the first innings together with an imperious 101 out of an innings total of 150, after the Cape Cobras declared their first innings on 264/9, on the back of contributions from Pieter Malan (51), George Linde (43), Kyle Verreynne (39) and Zubayr Hamza (32). The Cobras wobbled to 29/3, but Verreynne (85) held the innings together, with small contributions from Onke Nyaku (25), Linde (26) and Janneman Malan (35). Having to chase the highest score of the match, Theunis de Bruyn (127), Elgar (58) and Aiden Markram (48) set the platform, but it was the unlikely figure of Junior Dala (41*) who hauled the visitors over the line.
