Grant Thomson of the Titans during day 1 of the CSA 4 Day Series match between Multiply Titans and Hollywoodbets Dolphins at SuperSport Park on October 07, 2019 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images)
There were no results in this week’s fixtures, suggesting more demure conditions.
However, that means players need to do their utmost to manufacture results … and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Here’s what we learned.
Boucher’s change of direction paying dividends
Matthew Arnold of Multiply Titans during day 1 of the CSA 4 Day Series match between Warriors and Multiply Titans at St Georges Park on October 21, 2019 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. (Photo by Richard Huggard/Gallo Images)
For all his success as Titans coach to date, Mark Boucher – understandably – relied heavily on the Northerns players within his ranks initially.
As a rookie, one tends to stick to home comforts.
Yet following a mediocre campaign last season, the Proteas legend realised he needed to trust regional partner Easterns more if the franchise was going to cope with all its Protea-related absences.
It’s working a treat.
Captain Grant Thomson, an Easterns stalwart, has proven an astute leader and played a major role in a gritty contest with the Warriors in Port Elizabeth.
But he’s not the only one.
Wesley Marshall built on an impressive first franchise century last week with a fluent 66, while Matthew Arnold is an experienced figure in the attack.
It’s a good mix, particularly with promising all-rounder Dayaan Galiem finding his feet too.
Warriors 364/9 dec (Yaseen Vallie 137, Rudi Second 81, Eddie Moore 55, Dayaan Galiem 4/83) and 260 (Matthew Breetzke 80, Eddie Moore 55, Jon-Jon Smuts 45, Tabraiz Shamsi 5/66, Neil Brand 3/59) drew with Titans 343 (Grant Thomson 101, Wesley Marshall 66, Chris Morris 46, Jon-Jon Smuts 4/66, Andrew Birch 3/71) and 104/3 (Grant Thomson 39*)
Dolphins finding the going rather tough
Andile Phehlukwayo bowls during day 3 of the CSA 4 Day Series match between Hollywoodbets Dolphins and WSB Cape Cobras at Pieterrmaritzburg Oval on October 23, 2019 in Pietermaritzburg/Gallo Images)
They’ve hardly been awful, but Imraan Khan’s Dolphins certainly suggest they might have some depth issues in 2019/20.
Rooted to the bottom of the log, they’re particularly struggling to bowl teams out without suffering a fair amount of damage.
Last week in Bloemfontein, they conceded over 500 and come within nine runs of doing so in Pietermaritzburg again.
Grant Roelofsen is gradually establishing himself as a franchise cricketer and home-grown player, but the attack seems lack oomph, lacking an out-and-out strike bowler.
It will certainly help if Andile Phehlukwayo finds some consistency.
But the sight of 19-year-old Thando Ntini, son of Makhaya, making a decent debut for the Cobras seemed to put things into perspective: this might not be an easy season for the men from KwaZulu-Natal.
Dolphins 325/9 dec (Grant Roelofsen 133, Andile Phehlukwayo 67, Marques Ackerman 35, Dane Paterson 3/78) and 198/6 (Cody Chetty 69*, Rob Frylinck 44*, Thando Ntini 2/45) drew with Cape Cobras 491 (Matthew Kleinveldt 175, Janneman Malan 118, Kyle Verreynne 78, Smangaliso Nhlebela 4/109, Prenelan Subrayen 4/132)
National understudies keep the pressure on
Reeza Hendricks of the Imperial Lions during the day 2 of the CSA 4 Day Series match between VKB Knights and Imperial Lions at Diamond Oval on October 22, 2019 in Kimberley, South Africa. (Photo by Louis Botha/Gallo Images
The Proteas’ batting woes in India makes it increasingly likely that Rassie van der Dussen, with such an outstanding start to his international career, will get a look-in at Test level soon.
And he did those chances no harm with a fluent 75 in the second innings in Kimberley.
Yet the real statement was made by Reeza Hendricks, who, finally at 30, made a proper big score in four-day cricket.
Known as a one-day specialist, the silky stroke-maker strode to a serene, unbeaten 168.
It’s debatable whether that suddenly puts him in the picture for Test cricket, but the timing is certainly appropriate.
Highveld Lions 468/4 dec (Reeza Hendricks 168*, Nicky van den Bergh 116*, Joshua Richards 80, Dominic Hendricks 76, Gerald Coetzee 2/57) and 178/5 dec (Rassie van der Dussen 75, Dominic Hendricks 63) drew with Knights 325 (Raynard van Tonder 81, Gerald Coetzee 48*, Pite van Biljon 48, Malusi Siboto 3/66, Migael Pretorius 3/66) and 62/0 (Raynard van Tonder 35*)
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