Dolphins in total control as they enforce the follow-on

THE Dolphins are poised to win their Sunfoil Series match against the Warriors at Buffalo Park in East London today.

The home team have been on the back foot throughout the match after losing the toss on the opening day, Thursday.

The Dolphins scored 450-8 declared late on Friday, then dismissed the Warriors between lunch and tea in the second session yesterday for 209, taking a 241-run lead and enforcing the follow-on.

In their second knock the Warriors were hanging on at 137-7 when bad light stopped play for the second successive day, but only a few overs were lost.

They need a further 104 runs to make the Dolphins bat again.

For the Warriors, only Yaseen Vallie stood tall in the first innings with 86 not out. He and No 11 batsman Basheer-Dean Walters frustrated the Dolphins attack when adding a quickfire 42 runs, with Walters plundering 29 before being bowled by Craig Alexander.

For the statistically-minded, Walters hit spinner Keshav Maharaj for a six to bring up his 1 000th run in first-class class cricket. Alexander finished with 4-45 and Daryn Dupavillon 5-49.

It was Dupavillon’s seventh ‘fifer’ in first-class cricket and both bowlers bowled with hostility, with Dupavillon getting the ball to rise off a length from the North end.

Batting the second time round for the Warriors was a repeat of the first innings, with Dupavillon strik- ing early with two wickets before the tea interval, when the Warriors were 29-2.

Michael Price went for 13 and Colin Ackermann was snapped up by a brilliant catch in the slips by Sarel Erwee. The wicket fell to the fifth ball of the last over before tea.

Vallie had to return to the crease after less than a 90-minute break, and this time did not last long, being out for eight, but enough to allow him to reach 4 000 career runs. He lost his wicket when Khaya Zondo took a stunning catch diving to his left at third slip, this time off Mthokozisi Shezi.

Jerry Nqolo and Simon Harmer halted the slide for a time and added 59 for the sixth wicket, but then Harmer was caught and bowled by Maharaj for 25.

Nqolo has stood firm thus far for 54 not out after 137 minutes at the crease. He has faced 90 balls, has hit nine fours, and his defence has been admirable.

Andile Phehlukwayo has been the pick of the bowlers with 3-23 off seven overs. – SuperSport.com