Wickets tumbled on a difficult batting wicket on day two of the Sunfoil 3-day clash between Border and Eastern Province at Buffalo Park yesterday, leaving the match perched on a knife-edge heading into the final day’s play today.
A total of 21 wickets fell as Border’s batting woes continued in the morning session, after which EP were skittled all out by tea, setting Border 166 to win.
Border’s chase then got off to a disastrous start as they stumbled to 17/3 in 6.5 overs, before a settling 40-run fourth wicket stand steadied the ship.
However, the silly late run-out of Somila Seyibokwe (17), who was looking in good knick, meant they finished the day on 66/4, needing 100 runs to win, when play was called for bad light an hour early.
Border captain Martin Walters was unbeaten at the crease on 43 with him in the mood having struck the day’s second last ball for six off Akhona Kula and much will hinge on his performance this morning.
The day’s play began with Border resuming their first innings on 60/3, trailing EP’s first innings total by 102.
However, EP ran through them in no time as Border crashed to 135 all out, with former Border schools stars Ngazibini Sigwili and Onke Nyaku taking seven wickets between them.
Darryl Brown (1) was first to fall, caught by Kelly Smuts off Sigwili, Marco Marais (4) was caught by keeper Sithembiso Ndwandwa off Nyaku, Tapelo Letsholo (6) was caught by Edward Moore off Nyaku and Thandolwethu Mnyaka (0) was trapped leg-before by Sigwili – all in the first hour of play as Border crashed to 98/7.
Seyibokwe, who had watched the carnage from the other end was then dismissed for an innings high 34, caught behind off Nyaku with Border on 108/8.
Phaphama Fojela (19no) and Brandon Williams (11) then had a bit of fun with a 22-ball 26-run partnership, but following Williams’ dismissal Ntuntwana (0) followed soon after to end their innings, with Sigwili finishing with figures of 4/43 and Nyaku 3/26.
EP then began their second innings on a bad note as Fojela again removed Michael Price for a duck in the first over.
He then followed that up with the wicket of David White (10) four overs later and Edward Moore followed for a duck in the next over, bowled by Mnyaka as they slipped to 22/3.
Smuts (19) and James Price (29) then took them to lunch on 45/3 and after the break continued with a solid rebuilding partnership that yielded 51 runs.
However, from 73/3 Smuts fell, caught by Kevin Bennett off Brown and this saw them lose their last seven wickets for 65 runs, all out for 138, thanks to a combination of Brown, Fojela and Mnyaka.
Fojela finished with figures of 4/26 and Mnyaka 3/37 while Brown enjoyed a fantastic seven over spell featuring three wickets, three maidens and only conceding eight runs.
Border hold slight edge in clash which saw wickets fall
A total of 21 wickets fell as Border’s batting woes continued in the morning session, after which EP were skittled all out by tea, setting Border 166 to win.
Border’s chase then got off to a disastrous start as they stumbled to 17/3 in 6.5 overs, before a settling 40-run fourth wicket stand steadied the ship.
However, the silly late run-out of Somila Seyibokwe (17), who was looking in good knick, meant they finished the day on 66/4, needing 100 runs to win, when play was called for bad light an hour early.
Border captain Martin Walters was unbeaten at the crease on 43 with him in the mood having struck the day’s second last ball for six off Akhona Kula and much will hinge on his performance this morning.
The day’s play began with Border resuming their first innings on 60/3, trailing EP’s first innings total by 102.
However, EP ran through them in no time as Border crashed to 135 all out, with former Border schools stars Ngazibini Sigwili and Onke Nyaku taking seven wickets between them.
Darryl Brown (1) was first to fall, caught by Kelly Smuts off Sigwili, Marco Marais (4) was caught by keeper Sithembiso Ndwandwa off Nyaku, Tapelo Letsholo (6) was caught by Edward Moore off Nyaku and Thandolwethu Mnyaka (0) was trapped leg-before by Sigwili – all in the first hour of play as Border crashed to 98/7.
Seyibokwe, who had watched the carnage from the other end was then dismissed for an innings high 34, caught behind off Nyaku with Border on 108/8.
Phaphama Fojela (19no) and Brandon Williams (11) then had a bit of fun with a 22-ball 26-run partnership, but following Williams’ dismissal Ntuntwana (0) followed soon after to end their innings, with Sigwili finishing with figures of 4/43 and Nyaku 3/26.
EP then began their second innings on a bad note as Fojela again removed Michael Price for a duck in the first over.
He then followed that up with the wicket of David White (10) four overs later and Edward Moore followed for a duck in the next over, bowled by Mnyaka as they slipped to 22/3.
Smuts (19) and James Price (29) then took them to lunch on 45/3 and after the break continued with a solid rebuilding partnership that yielded 51 runs.
However, from 73/3 Smuts fell, caught by Kevin Bennett off Brown and this saw them lose their last seven wickets for 65 runs, all out for 138, thanks to a combination of Brown, Fojela and Mnyaka.
Fojela finished with figures of 4/26 and Mnyaka 3/37 while Brown enjoyed a fantastic seven over spell featuring three wickets, three maidens and only conceding eight runs.
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