Cloudy with a chance of runs

Although it probably isn’t particularly eco-friendly to say so, the weather was once again rotten as the fourth round of the Sunfoil Series got underway yesterday with 91 overs being lost between the games played in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg.

The match between the Highveld Lions and the Knights in Potchefstroom was the only one to get the full quota of 96 overs in as the Lions closed on 308/4.

Opener Reeza Hendricks led the way after the Lions had won the toss and batted, stroking an impressive 108, his 10th Sunfoil Series century and second for the Lions. He shared partnerships of 118 for the second wicket with Omphile Ramela and 63 for the third with Rassie van der Dussen.

Ramela (65) was dismissed shortly before tea, flicking the part-time seam of Theunis de Bruyn to midwicket. Van der Dussen batted through to stumps, going into the sheds on 62 not out.

In Pietermaritzburg, the weather intervened after 73.3 overs, by which time the Proteas opening pair of Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar had put the Titans in charge against the Dolphins.

After Markram had won the toss and elected to bat, he and Elgar put on 130 for the first wicket. Markram was eventually caught behind for 67 off the left-arm spin of Senuran Muthusamy in the third over after lunch.

Elgar batted through to the close, reaching 88 not out and putting on 62 for the second wicket with the debutant, Bafana Mahlangu, who scored 41, as the Titans posted 205/2.

Left-armer Michael Cohen, new opening bowler for the Cape Cobras, may have conceded more than four runs an over from the outset after the home side won the toss and sent the Warriors in to bat at Newlands.

But that didn’t deter Cohen as he removed both opening batsmen, leaving the Warriors struggling on 82/3 in 28.3 overs when the rain returned.