A scintillating display of spin bowling from none other than the Proteas Test hotshot Keshav Maharaj clinched a rather emphatic 87-run victory for the Dolphins against the Lions, while a double century from Aiden Markram sealed a draw for the Titans.
The Dolphins had to get to work immediately, as the home side were looking to gradually take the game away. Maharaj claimed the wickets of Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, and the first-innings star Ryan Rickelton to make it 43/4.
Kagiso Rapulana and Nicholas van den Bergh resisted with a 47-run partnership but spin continued to dominate, as Maharaj generated turn and bounce throughout the game.
Ultimately, the Lions would fold for 162, and van den Bergh’s rearguard came to an end at 45 when he was bowled Senuran Muthusamy. The Dolphins have registered their third win and are just marginally behind the Knights on the points table.
Dolphins 375 + 235
Lions 362 + 162 (van den Bergh 45 – Maharaj 7/48)
Aiden Markram’s respectable unbeaten double-century sealed an expected drawn game for the Titans. While he was among the favorites to potentially get the Test captaincy, Markram has repeatedly shown his tall potential and hunger for bigger scores throughout the tournament.
The Knights took just the three wickets today, as it was a productive day for the batsmen. Dean Elgar missed out on a century by 10, and Sibonelo Makhanya scored a very useful 68 (8 fours, 2 sixes) to build a 141-run partnership alongside Markram. Given the electric start to this match, it seemed like a bit of an anticlimactic finish, but it’s for sure that there’s plenty to appreciate.
Titans 263 + 386/3 (Markram 204*, Elgar 90, Makhanya 68)
Knights 414/9 (d)
Day 4 of the Cobras v Warriors game had to be called off due to inclement weather. Rain was expected in Cape Town today and there was no chance to have even a partial day’s worth of play. As a result, this was the second drawn encounter of this round of 4-Day Series games.
Kyle Verreynne’s double-ton is a clear indicator that he’s ready to take on the Test challenge when given the opportunity. He’s already made a reliable first impression in the three ODIs he played against Australia last year, and his upward trend has been unstoppable, to say the least.
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