Janneman Malan scored a fantastic undefeated 139 to help take the lead away from the Knights in Bloemfontein.

Knights v Boland:

Boland seized the day in Bloemfontein, with Proteas star Janneman Malan scoring a fantastic, undefeated 139 to help take the lead away from the home team. Initially, it was a bright start with useful contributions from Pieter Malan, Ismaeel Gafieldien, and Stiaan van Zyl. However, a middle-order collapse, courtesy of Knights pacers Migael Pretorius and Mbulelo Budaza, put the visitors in a spot of bother. Fortunately, Ferisco Adams came in at #9 and provided priceless support for the steadfast Malan. And Adams is never to be underestimated as a batter – he boasts a very handy FC batting average of 32, and he’s put together a gem of an innings to bolster Boland’s ascendancy.

Knights 320
Boland 386/7 (J Malan 139, F Adams 74* – Budaza 3/75)

Dolphins v Western Province:

The Dolphins have continued their domineering ways, securing a 220-run first-innings lead and enforcing the follow-on for Western Province. At the same time, WP didn’t fold without any resistance at all. Wayne Parnell scored a dogged 79*, and it’s to be noted that he’s interested in playing for a Proteas recall.

During the second innings, it was a pretty similar story for WP, with the Dolphins bowlers continuing to attack and pick wickets regularly. Bryce Parsons, the left-arm spinning allrounder and former U19 captain, took a tremendous 5-wicket haul in the first innings. Express quick Daryn Dupavillon was the destroyer-in-chief in the second innings, with 4 wickets to his name.

Yaseen Vallie impressed with a strong 76, and so did David Bedingham for the second time in this game, but both players couldn’t convert their promising starts to big scores to rescue their side. Victory is in sight for the Dolphins, who have been clinical all game.

Dolphins 489/8d
WP 269 (Parnell 79* – Parsons 5/82) + 186/7 (Vallie 76, Bedingham 50 – Dupavillon 4/33) 

KZN Inland v Easterns:

The KZN province is continuing to make merry, with the Dolphins and the Inland side both dominating their respective opponents.

Tian Koekemoer and Cameron Delport both scored respectable 60’s, and from that point on, the situation went awry for Easterns, as they were bowled out for a measly 107 and lost another two quick wickets in the second innings. Keith Dudgeon was the pick of the bowlers in the first innings, with 4 wickets, two of those being top-order scalps. Offspinner Kurtlyn Mannikam was reliably consistent, with 3 wickets of his own. It will be a daunting task for Easterns to save this game.

KZN Inland 440/6d
Easterns 107 (Masondo 22 – Dudgeon 4/25, Mannikam 3/23)

Border v Limpopo:

Border have continued to rake in the runs and keep the opposition under their thumbs, as they’ve set up a mountain of a target for Limpopo to get on Day 4.

Limpopo were bowled out for 192 in the first innings, with Malcolm Nofal the only player to pass 50. Left-arm wrist spinner Thomas Kaber was immaculate, with a quality 6-wicket haul to wrap up the innings. Border opted to bat again despite a 200-run lead, and it proved to be a fruitful decision, as a quick 190/3 studded with a 135-run opening stand from Jerome Bossr and Jason Niemand. Will Limpopo be able to salvage the match? It’ll be quite a challenge, given the varying levels of experience of players across both teams.

Border 392 + 190/3d (Niemand 77, Bossr 71)
Limpopo 192 (Nofal 58 – Kaber 6/75) + 38/1

Titans v Warriors:

It’s very cliche to say that the most exciting parts are saved for the end, but this match is shaping up to have a blockbuster of a finish. The Warriors are 7 down, with 56 runs to get, and the game has had a slew of twists and turns over the course of the three days that have gone by.

The Titans were able to recover from a forgettable first innings, and posted a stellar 359 to turn up the heat. Sibonelo Makhanya and Jordan Hermann were the pillars of the innings, while very useful 40’s from Dayyaan Galiem and Corbin Bosch provided a crucial lower-order boost. Mthiwekhaya Nabe, the Warriors seamer, was the go-to bowler for breakthroughs – he dismissed both the top-scorers and ensured that the lead would be kept to 235.

After a brilliant batting display, the Titans were off to a rollicking start with the ball, restricting the Warriors to 60/5, but they weren’t down and out by any means. It took a 94-run stand between Lesiba Ngoepe and Marco Jansen to gradually flip the script. Jansen was the more aggressive among the two, striking a sprightly 59-ball 55 (7 fours, 3 sixes). But things took another interesting turn when Neil Brand bowled Jansen on the first ball of the very last over of the day’s play. It was a true team bowling effort, with every one among the wickets.

Now, here comes the big question – which is the bigger ask? Getting 56 more runs, or taking the final 3 wickets? One would assume that the Warriors are favourites but ever so slightly since there still is a recognized batter at the crease: Ngoepe.

Titans 139 + 359 (Makhanya 74, Hermann 62 – Nabe 4/89)
Warriors 258 + 180/7 (Jansen 55, Ngoepe 46* – Dala 2/38)

Photo: Charlé Lombard/BackpagePix