Bowlers on top of their game in tie
Lower and middle-order resistance from the Border batting department meant that play was set to go into a third day shortly before the close of play on day two of their Cricket South Africa three-day challenge match against North West at Buffalo Park on Friday afternoon.
It was another day that belonged to the bowlers with 16 wickets falling on day two after 20 fell on day one, while Border had dragged themselves within a hundred runs of the target, but with just four wickets left in their second innings.
Clayton Bosch (46no) and Malwande Zamo (18no) were still at the crease at the time of going to print, with Border needing 84 to win the match.
This after North West were bowled out for 153 in their second innings on the stroke of the lunch break to leave Border with a victory target of 278.
Borders star bowler Phaphama Fojela was again the pick of the lot, putting in a superb spell to take 5/39, while he was backed up well by Zamo, who picked up 3/28.
North West would have been disappointed with their effort after they had started the day’s play in a very strong position on 45/0, leading Border by 169 runs.
But after openers Yaseen Vallie (30) and Louren Steenkamp (25) had moved the score to 59, they fell apart as they lost all 10 wickets for 94 runs.
Basheer Walters started the collapse as he had Steenkamp caught behind by Mncedisi Malika at the end of the 10th over.
In the next over Fojela tore into the North West top order as he bowled Vallie with the second ball, trapped Kagiso Rapulana for a duck with the third and had Jean Bredenkamp caught by Jason Niemand also for a duck with the last ball of the over as the visitors crashed to 61/4.
Ruan Haasbroek then played a superb solo innings, stroking his way to an unbeaten 70 off 91 balls (12x4; 1x6) while the rest of the North West order couldn't get into double figures, leaving them all out for 153 at lunch.
The Border chase then didn't get off to the best start as Bradley Williams (9) and Somila Seyibokwe (8) fell within the first five overs with Border on 18/2.
A budding 32-run partnership between Sihle Magongoma (13) and Mo Vallie (23) was ended by Migael Pretorius who had Magongoma caught and then four runs later Vallie was caught and bowled by Brady Barends leaving Border in trouble at 54/4.
The middle and lower order resistance began as Niemand (22) and Malika (49) shared in a 75-run stand and Bosch and Zamo had got the score to 194/6 with play still ongoing at time of going to print.