At the end of three days of action in the 4 Day Challenge match between the North West Dragons and Lions at the J.B. Marks Oval, the Dragons require 341 runs with 8 wickets remaining on the final day tomorrow (Sunday, 20 November).
The Dragons are currently 57/2 after the third days of play with captain Nicky van den Bergh 4* (23) and Wesley Marshall 23* (61) at the crease. This presents a perfect opportunity for the Dragons to showcase grit and determination on the final day against a top bowling attack. The Dragons will definitely look to bat out the entire day tomorrow, but it will require application and discipline and a good morning session with the willow.
The Lions on the other hand will want to finish things off as soon as possible. Lions spinner, Bjorn Fortuin, will be one of the danger men as well as the pace quartet of Lutho Sipamla, Malusi Siboto, Duanne Olivier and Sisanda Magala. The latter got the big wicket of Grant Mokoena for 26 late on day 3 with a peach of a ball to rattle the stumps.
The Lions had earlier on bowled the Dragons out for 169. The Lions struggled in their second innings and a century from Ryan Rickelton (100* from 164 balls) eventually got them to 203/8 declared. The Dragons put on a good bowling performance, knowing that they needed to limit the first innings deficit as far as possible.
Renaldo Meyer (3/33) and Eldred Hawken (2/20) and Senuran Muthusamy (2/79) took some key wickets in a disciplined bowling display. One of the moments of the day was when part time bowler, Wesley Marshall, got the wicket of Wiaan Mulder for 16 thanks to a sharp stumping from Van den Bergh.
