Border and Boland were heading straight for a draw on the second day of their CSA three-day competition clash at Police Park in East London on Friday, with the visitors on 314/5 after facing over 100 overs during the day.
The match essentially became a two-day game when the first day on Thursday was completely washed out by rain, meaning any chance of a win for one of the sides would have to see at least 30 or so wickets fall in just two days. That was then immediately dispelled by a disciplined Boland team, who took their time, leaving the good balls and scoring off the bad ones as they set about building a big total, leaving them in a strong position shortly before the end of play at the time of going to print.
“It hasn't really been a tough day, the boys have bowled beautifully, the wicket is just really flat, it is a batting wicket and they have bowled well to keep the scoring rate down throughout, so I am relatively happy with what I have seen,” admitted Border coach Mfuneko Ngam.
At the start of play Border won the toss and elected to field.
Boland got off to a steady start through openers Cebo Tshiki and Ruan Terblanche, who initially started slowing, scoring just 26 runs in their first 16 overs, before upping the pace as they neared lunch.
A few overs before the lunch break Border pace spearhead Phaphama Fojela made the breakthrough, ending the 68 run opening stand as Terblanche (32) edged behind to 'keeper Mncedisi Malika. Isma-eel Gafieldien then joined Tshiki and they took Boland to lunch on 78 for one wicket, before kicking onto a good partnership in the early afternoon. Tshiki reached an excellent half century and having put on 99 for the second wicket, then fell for 79, caught by Jason Niemand off the bowling of Nonelela Yikha for Yikha's first wicket at first-class level.
Kobus Scholtz was next in and he looked to play positively from the outset, but only managed 20 before being clean bowled by debutant Matthew Fourie for his first first-class scalp as well, while Gafieldien, on 76, was then bowled by Clayton Bosch with Boland on 240 for four wickets. Ferisco Adams and Sinalo Gobeni (17) then shared in a quick 74-run stand, dominated by Adams who hammered his way to a half-century, and he was unbeaten on 74 off 71 balls when Fojela returned to bowl Gobeni.