DAY one honours belonged to the hosts as Border took early control of their Sunfoil Three-Day clash against Eastern Province at Buffalo Park yesterday.
Border trailed EP’s first innings target by 102 with seven wickets still in hand as they ended the day on 60/3 when play was called 30 minutes early.
New batsmen Somila Seyibokwe (3) and Darryl Brown (0) were unbeaten at the crease after ex-Border schools bowler Ngazibini Sigwili removed captain Martin Walters for 24, caught by David White, three balls before the end of play.
It was Sigwili’s second wicket after he trapped Kevin Bennett (16) four runs earlier.
A promising start to Border’s innings between Gionne Koopman and Walters was ended by Ethan O’Reilly who had Koopman (6) caught by Sithembiso Ndwandwa with the score on 30.
Earlier in the day a devastating spell of accurate bowling from Thandolwethu Mnyaka decimated EP’s middle-order before he returned to clean up the tail at the end.
Mnyaka ended with an impressive 5/47 off of 12.5 overs as EP were bowled out for 162 in the afternoon session, despite a gritty half century by Edward Moore and a fighting 43-run ninth wicket partnership between Sigwili and Akhona Kula.
With Border winning the toss and inserting EP to bat the move paid immediate dividends as opening bowler Phaphama Fojela found sufficient movement in overcast conditions to reduce EP to 1/2 at the start of the third over.
He first removed Michael Price for a fifth ball duck, caught behind by keeper Tapelo Letsholo, and then fellow opener David White for a second ball duck, caught by Brown.
A solid 70-run partnership between Moore and Kelly Smuts then seemed to have resuscitated the innings, but Smuts’ removal for 16, bowled by Koopman, saw four wickets fall for 26 runs before and after lunch and EP could not recover.
James Price (10) and Ndwandwa (0) were bowled a delivery apart as Mnyaka got in on the act as EP took lunch at 91/5.
After a brief delay for light, play then resumed after lunch with Mnyaka bowling his third victim, Onke Nyaku (1) as EP slipped to 97/6.
Tladi Bokaku (4) was then caught by Mnyaka off Sinovuyo Ntuntwana, who finally ended Moore’s 122-ball effort of 57, caught by Letsholo.
At 119/8 EP were in deep trouble but Sigwili (23no) and Kula (20) battled away to take EP past 150, but Mnyaka then returned to remove Kula and Ethan O’Reilly (0) off successive deliveries and will start the next innings on a hat-trick.
Border firmly in driving seat on the opening day
Border trailed EP’s first innings target by 102 with seven wickets still in hand as they ended the day on 60/3 when play was called 30 minutes early.
New batsmen Somila Seyibokwe (3) and Darryl Brown (0) were unbeaten at the crease after ex-Border schools bowler Ngazibini Sigwili removed captain Martin Walters for 24, caught by David White, three balls before the end of play.
It was Sigwili’s second wicket after he trapped Kevin Bennett (16) four runs earlier.
A promising start to Border’s innings between Gionne Koopman and Walters was ended by Ethan O’Reilly who had Koopman (6) caught by Sithembiso Ndwandwa with the score on 30.
Earlier in the day a devastating spell of accurate bowling from Thandolwethu Mnyaka decimated EP’s middle-order before he returned to clean up the tail at the end.
Mnyaka ended with an impressive 5/47 off of 12.5 overs as EP were bowled out for 162 in the afternoon session, despite a gritty half century by Edward Moore and a fighting 43-run ninth wicket partnership between Sigwili and Akhona Kula.
With Border winning the toss and inserting EP to bat the move paid immediate dividends as opening bowler Phaphama Fojela found sufficient movement in overcast conditions to reduce EP to 1/2 at the start of the third over.
He first removed Michael Price for a fifth ball duck, caught behind by keeper Tapelo Letsholo, and then fellow opener David White for a second ball duck, caught by Brown.
A solid 70-run partnership between Moore and Kelly Smuts then seemed to have resuscitated the innings, but Smuts’ removal for 16, bowled by Koopman, saw four wickets fall for 26 runs before and after lunch and EP could not recover.
James Price (10) and Ndwandwa (0) were bowled a delivery apart as Mnyaka got in on the act as EP took lunch at 91/5.
After a brief delay for light, play then resumed after lunch with Mnyaka bowling his third victim, Onke Nyaku (1) as EP slipped to 97/6.
Tladi Bokaku (4) was then caught by Mnyaka off Sinovuyo Ntuntwana, who finally ended Moore’s 122-ball effort of 57, caught by Letsholo.
At 119/8 EP were in deep trouble but Sigwili (23no) and Kula (20) battled away to take EP past 150, but Mnyaka then returned to remove Kula and Ethan O’Reilly (0) off successive deliveries and will start the next innings on a hat-trick.
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