A round-up of the Sunfoil Series matches that ended on March 9, 2014
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Mar-2014Cape Cobras marched to their third straight victory in the Sunfoil series, led by Rory Kleinveldt’s 7 for 34 in the first innings and Andrew Puttick’s second-innings century to set up a target of 444 runs. Titans’ batting was modest at best as Dane Piedt claimed six wickets in the second innings and, with their fourth loss in seven matches, remain at the bottom of the table.Four batsmen held up the innings with solid half-centuries, with Yaseen Vallie’s 80 being the top-score. He was key in remedying a minor middle-order wobble taking Cobras from 189 for 4 to 334 for 5 in the company of Dane Vilas (77), while their early troubles – Puttick fell in the fourth over – were eased by Omphile Ramela(59) and Stiaan van Zyl’s (71) 119-run stand for the second wicket.With a lead of 429 to bolster him, Kleinveldt proceeded to dismantle Titans. He snuck his fifth ball through Heino Kuhn’s defences and broke a 78-run rebuild for the third wicket by dismissing the captain Henry Davids for 41. Graeme van Buuren was resolute for little over four hours for his 85 before he was run-out. Titans were 186 for 6 at the time and Kleinveldt seized the advantage. He took the remaining five wickets, handing out ducks to the last three batsmen, as Titans crashed to 198 all out.Puttick made up the first innings with a brisk century, that included 11 fours as he along with van Zyl (86 off 131) cemented the Cobras advantage.Kuhn and Roelof van der Merwe struck gamely half-centuries but led a resistance that was lacked strength. Aside from a 74-ball 26 from Mangaliso Mosehle and a 96-ball 26 from No.8 Shaun von Berg, the other batsmen lasted too long. Piedt, the 24-year old offspinner, was the wrecker in chief this time with 6 for 100, his second five-wicket haul in as many matches and best figures this season. Piedt, with 28, is second on the highest wicket-takers list presently while Cobras at the top of the table among the teams.Dolphins had to settle for a draw against Warriors after only 23 overs were possible on the final day in East London due to rain. Robbie Frylinck reduced Warriors to 30 for 3 in nine overs after Dolphins declared their second innings on their third-day score of 257 for 8, an overall lead of 356. Michael Price and Colin Ingram batted out 14 overs without any further damage.Dolphins had posted 339 on the opening day after choosing to bat, helped by centuries from Cody Chetty and captain Morne van Wyk. The pair came together at 102 for 4, and put on 144 before Chetty became one of Simon Harmer’s four victims in the innings for 120. Warriors kept taking wickets at the other even as Morne van Wyk remained unbeaten on 104.Tabraiz Shamsi then picked up five wickets as Warriors were dismissed for 240, Ingram the only batsman to make more a fifty. Daryn Dupavillon chipped in with three strikes as Ingram ran out of partners and was stranded on 54.Divan van Wyk and Sarel Erwee contributed fifties in the Dolphins second innings, while there were forties from Khaya Zondo and Morne van Wyk. Harmer made it nine wickets for the match as he returned a haul of 5 for 100 this time.After two full days of play, the third day witnessed only 62 overs, and things got worse on the fourth day, the game ending with Warriors on 70 for 3.Rain thwarted Knights as well, as they ran out of time in Johannesburg after enforcing the follow-on against Lions. No play was possible on the first day. Knights declared on 329 for 6 after being asked to bat. Rilee Rossouw made 107 while there were half-centuries from Reeza Hendricks, Rudi Second and Gerhardt Abrahams.Quinton Friend led the Knights’ bowling effort with four wickets as Lions were shot out for 121. Malusi Siboto and Werner Coetsee had two strikes each. Stephen Cook’s 45 was the only decent score for Lions, who had as many as four batsmen registering ducks.Facing a deficit of 208, Lions limped to 54 for 3 in 27.3 overs in the follow-on innings. Corne Dry removed the openers cheaply and Temba Bavuma fell after resisting briefly, but Neil McKenzie and Devon Conway survived for more than nine overs before the game met its end.