Runs flow for Warriors
Titans take seven, but cannot stop home team from securing advantage
There was plenty of leather-chasing for the visiting Multiply Titans side against the Warriors at Buffalo Park in East London Friday, with the home team amassing 360 for seven wickets shortly before the close of play on the opening day of their four-day franchise encounter.
The highlight of the day’s play was a thirdwicket partnership of 180 between opener Eddie Moore and number four batsman Yaseen Vallie.
Winning the toss, Warriors skipper Jon-Jon Smuts had no hesitation in batting first, although the loss of two quick wickets within the first five overs was disappointing for the home team as the pitch looked full of runs.
But both opening bowlers, Corbin Bosch and Tshepo Moreki, had other ideas and both bowled particularly well at the start.
In the fourth over Moreki struck, having left-hander Gihahn Cloete caught behind by Titans wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen for six. Warriors number three, Colin Ackermann, did not last long before Bosch clean-bowled him for a single at 15 for two wickets. Thereafter it was the Moore-Vallie show. Both were in complete control throughout their respective innings. They were unafraid to play their shots and with the Titans setting attacking fields, the boundaries flowed during the morning session.
By the lunch interval, which was taken with the score at 125 for two after 28 overs, both batsmen had reached their personal halfcenturies, with Moore on 59 and Vallie on 50. Moore was first to the milestone, which he reached off 66 balls with eight fours, while Vallie reached his half-century off 59 balls with the same amount of boundaries.
After lunch the two continued their merry way and it came as a complete surprise when Vallie played forward to leg-break star Shaun von Berg and was brilliantly stumped by Klaasen for a most entertaining 75 at195 for three wickets. He faced 106 balls and stroked 11 fours.
Moore then went quietly to his ninth firstclass century and added a further 69 runs with Smuts who was another Klaasen victim, caught behind off Moreki for 36 at 264-4.
At 145 Moore went to his highest score, eclipsing the 144 he made for Eastern Province against Northern Cape three seasons ago, but at 151 he was out leg before wicket to part-time bowler Henry Davids. He scored 20 fours and a six and altogether faced 120 balls.
Lesiba Ngoepe and Sinethemba Queshile then added a solid 53 before Queshile lost his wicket for 28, being Klaasen’s fourth victim and two balls later, Simon Harmer lost his wicket in identical manner for no score, being Klaasen’s fifth victim of the day. Both were out in an awesome over from Bosch.
Ngoepe was on 41 and Aya Gqamane had four not out.
Bosch was the pick of the Titans’s bowling attack with 3-46 in 13 overs.