Michael Price fell just short of his 10th first class century as the Chevrolet Warriors enjoyed a dominant day with the bat against the Sunfoil Dolphins on day one of their Sunfoil Series clash at Buffalo Park yesterday.
The Warriors are all set to post a daunting total as they ended the day on 273 for three wickets with Jon-Jon Smuts, 43, and captain Colin Ingram, 31, at the crease when play was called off for bad light just after 5.30pm.
Price was the dominant figure in the morning and early afternoon sessions as he crafted his way to 92 off 162 balls, hitting nine fours and two sixes.
“I felt good, especially being put into bat first, we were expecting the wicket to do a little more than it did, but it didn't do a hell of a lot and was on the slow side but in the end it was pretty good to bat on,” said Price.
With the Dolphins winning the toss and electing to field Price and David White set about their task confidently as they brought up the 50 run partnership off just 55 balls. The pair then turned it down a notch as the bowling tightened up and this led to the first wicket as White got trapped in front by Robbie Frylinck for a well played 38 with the score on 74.
“When we started it just happened, we had no plans to bat like that, but once we got going they started bowling a bit better and we settled back into four-day mode,” admitted Price.
Colin Ackermann then joined Price at the crease and they safely took the Warriors past the hundred and safely to lunch on 111 for one with Price just one run short of his 50. Following the resumption Price reached his half- century and he and Ackermann brought up their 50 partnership as the Dolphins bowlers struggled to extract movement off the pitch.
The pair then took the Warriors past the 150 mark and then brought up their hundred run partnership.
With half an hour to go to tea the Dolphins then finally made the breakthrough as Price, continuing his positive innings, picked out fielder Cody Chetty going for a big hit.
“I wasn't worried about being in the 90s to be honest, the plan was to keep going as I was and I was playing nicely. I just didn't execute the shot very well and got out,” claimed Price.
Smuts then joined Ackermann at the crease, but with just a couple minutes to go to the tea break Ackermann, having recently brought up his half century, found himself rooted to the spot as Andile Phehlukwayo nailed him leg before wicket for 59.
Ingram then joined Smuts and the two played positive cricket offering no chances as they took the score past 250.
Soon after the Dophins took the new ball the umpires decided that it was too dark for play to continue and called the players off.
“It's been disappointing to lose so many overs in they day as we were going well and we wanted to score as many runs as we could today and we would have liked to be closer to 350. But we will look to come out positively tomorrow and set a good total,” said Price.
l In Potchefstroom the Cape Cobras had scored 279 for seven wickets after 90 overs against the Lions.
Price leads solid batting by the Warriors
The Warriors are all set to post a daunting total as they ended the day on 273 for three wickets with Jon-Jon Smuts, 43, and captain Colin Ingram, 31, at the crease when play was called off for bad light just after 5.30pm.
Price was the dominant figure in the morning and early afternoon sessions as he crafted his way to 92 off 162 balls, hitting nine fours and two sixes.
“I felt good, especially being put into bat first, we were expecting the wicket to do a little more than it did, but it didn't do a hell of a lot and was on the slow side but in the end it was pretty good to bat on,” said Price.
With the Dolphins winning the toss and electing to field Price and David White set about their task confidently as they brought up the 50 run partnership off just 55 balls. The pair then turned it down a notch as the bowling tightened up and this led to the first wicket as White got trapped in front by Robbie Frylinck for a well played 38 with the score on 74.
“When we started it just happened, we had no plans to bat like that, but once we got going they started bowling a bit better and we settled back into four-day mode,” admitted Price.
Colin Ackermann then joined Price at the crease and they safely took the Warriors past the hundred and safely to lunch on 111 for one with Price just one run short of his 50. Following the resumption Price reached his half- century and he and Ackermann brought up their 50 partnership as the Dolphins bowlers struggled to extract movement off the pitch.
The pair then took the Warriors past the 150 mark and then brought up their hundred run partnership.
With half an hour to go to tea the Dolphins then finally made the breakthrough as Price, continuing his positive innings, picked out fielder Cody Chetty going for a big hit.
“I wasn't worried about being in the 90s to be honest, the plan was to keep going as I was and I was playing nicely. I just didn't execute the shot very well and got out,” claimed Price.
Smuts then joined Ackermann at the crease, but with just a couple minutes to go to the tea break Ackermann, having recently brought up his half century, found himself rooted to the spot as Andile Phehlukwayo nailed him leg before wicket for 59.
Ingram then joined Smuts and the two played positive cricket offering no chances as they took the score past 250.
Soon after the Dophins took the new ball the umpires decided that it was too dark for play to continue and called the players off.
“It's been disappointing to lose so many overs in they day as we were going well and we wanted to score as many runs as we could today and we would have liked to be closer to 350. But we will look to come out positively tomorrow and set a good total,” said Price.
l In Potchefstroom the Cape Cobras had scored 279 for seven wickets after 90 overs against the Lions.
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