David Bedingham was the standout performer of the second round of the CSA Four-Day Series, scoring two centuries as Western Province secured a dramatic 44-run victory over the Dolphins at Newlands.

With the Test series against Australia approaching after the ODI series, the round provided an important opportunity for players with Test ambitions to get valuable time in the longer format. From a Western Province perspective, Bedingham was the main headline, while several players with recent or previous involvement in the national setup also produced strong performances.

Bedingham scored 129 in Western Province’s first innings before following it with 114 from 125 balls in the second, finishing with 243 runs for the match. His first century came from 167 balls and included 18 fours, while his second helped Western Province set up a challenging target for the Dolphins.

Batting at No. 3, Bedingham’s performance also came with Proteas head coach Shukri Conrad watching. The position added further interest to his innings as South Africa considers its options for the Test series against Australia.

The performance followed an impressive County Championship season with Durham, where Bedingham scored more than 1,000 runs. He also passed 10,000 first-class runs during the match, adding another significant milestone to his week.

Bedingham was supported in the first innings by Jiveshan Pillay, who scored 105 from 235 balls, including 11 fours and a six. The century was Pillay’s first four-day hundred for the Cobras since joining the team last season. His patient innings gave Western Province a strong platform before Bedingham and Joshua van Heerden took the attack forward.

Van Heerden added 61 from 86 balls, hitting seven fours and three sixes, as Western Province reached 376.

The Dolphins responded strongly, reaching 401 and taking a 25-run first-innings lead. Semal Pillay led the way with 120 from 255 balls, while Marques Ackerman produced the most aggressive century of the innings.

The Dolphins captain scored 107 from just 88 balls, striking 14 fours and two sixes. Ackerman’s performance was particularly significant because of his recent involvement as South Africa A captain, making his century another useful contribution from a player involved in the wider national setup.

Tristan Luus also made an impact with 72 from 82 balls, including six fours and three sixes.

Western Province therefore had to bat again with the Dolphins holding the advantage, but Bedingham once again took responsibility. His 114 helped Western Province recover from 99/4, while Van Heerden played another important innings with an unbeaten 72 from 116 balls.

Their contributions helped Western Province reach 281/7 before declaring, setting the Dolphins 257 runs to win.

The Dolphins’ chase looked promising at stages, particularly when Ackerman made 60 from 62 balls, but Western Province’s bowlers eventually turned the match in their favour.

Kyle Simmonds was the key figure with the ball in the final innings, finishing with 4/91. He played a major role as the Dolphins slipped from 155/4 to 175/7, including the wickets of Jason Smith, Khaya Zondo and Josh Richards during a crucial period.

Tshepo Moreki also played his part with 2/30, while Raeeq Daniels struck twice with the new ball. Sinalo Gobeni then took the final wicket with his part-time spin as the Dolphins were bowled out for 212.

Simmonds had also taken 3/88 in the Dolphins’ first innings, giving him seven wickets for the match and making his performance one of the strongest bowling displays at Newlands.

There were other important contributions with the ball. Raeeq Daniels took 3/68 in the Dolphins’ first innings, while Dane Paterson claimed 2/62. For the Dolphins, Bryce Parsons took 3/36 in Western Province’s first innings, with Okuhle Cele and Jason Smith picking up two wickets each.

Prenelan Subrayen was another player who stood out from a South African perspective. The Dolphins spinner had recently represented South Africa in the ODI series against Namibia, where he took 4/29 in the opening match, before returning to four-day cricket at Newlands.

Subrayen took five wickets across the match, following 1/57 in Western Province’s first innings with 4/88 in the second. He also scored 19 in the Dolphins’ first innings.

His return to the longer format gave him another opportunity to contribute with both bat and ball, adding to his recent international involvement. Dane Paterson and Kyle Verreynne also brought Test experience into the Western Province side, with Paterson making an impact with the ball while Verreynne was part of the Western Province batting order.

The other completed match in the round was a high-scoring draw between Boland and North West at Boland Park in Paarl.

North West posted 642/4 declared, with Diego Rosier producing 211 from 270 balls. Rubin Hermann added 90, Meeka-eel Prince made 74, while Wihan Lubbe finished unbeaten on 107 and Ruan de Swardt remained unbeaten on 138.

Boland responded with 596/9, led by Lehan Botha’s unbeaten 213 from 320 balls, while Gavin Kaplan also produced a major contribution with 123.

The bowling opportunities were limited by the huge totals, but Alfred Mothoa was the leading wicket-taker for North West with 4/118, while Caleb Seleka claimed 2/135 and Lubbe took 1/72.

The remaining two fixtures were abandoned because of the weather. The Knights and Lions match in Bloemfontein ended without a toss, while the Warriors and Titans match in Gqeberha was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

For Western Province, however, the attention remained firmly on Newlands and Bedingham’s two centuries. His 129 and 114 gave him 243 runs for the match and provided the foundation for a 44-run victory.

Pillay’s maiden four-day century for the Cobras, Van Heerden’s contributions of 61 and an unbeaten 72, and Simmonds’ seven wickets added further weight to a complete team performance.

Beyond the result, the match also provided valuable longer-format cricket for players looking to put themselves in contention for the Test series against Australia. Bedingham made a significant contribution, while Ackerman, Subrayen, Paterson and other players with links to the national setup also had opportunities to make an impression.

With the Test series approaching, Bedingham’s two centuries made him the standout performer at Newlands and one of the biggest performers of the second round.

Photo: Western Province Cobras