SOUTH
AFRICA under-19 vice-captain Jonathan Vandiar gave
his promising career a huge boost when he scored his maiden first-class century
for the bizhub Highveld Lions against the Nashua Dolphins at Sahara Stadium
Kingsmead on Saturday.
Not only did the 18-year-old reach three
figures for the first time after only a handful of franchise matches but he
went on to make at stunning 172 not out in little more than five hours. He
faced only 225 balls to give him a strike rate of 76 percent and hit no fewer
than 28 boundaries. He is the youngest player to have scored a first-class
century at the highest level of the domestic game for some time.
Ironically, the left-hander must have felt very
much at home in this away SuperSport Series match as he learned his cricket at Durban High
School and played for the Nashua Dolphins last
season. He might well have gone on to make a double century had Neil McKenzie
not put team interest first and declared.
It was unquestionably the correct decision –
the Lions were still 80 runs behind on the first innings at the time – but
there were only four sessions left in the match and, by declaring, McKenzie
kept the option of an outright victory open.
McKenzie also scored a century – the 29th
of his distinguished first-class career – and his partnership of 170 for the
fifth wicket with Vandiar underlined the importance of the Proteas playing
domestic matches. His experience must have been invaluable to the teenager during
the formative stage of his innings. When Vandiar got a half-century on his
Dolphins’ debut last season, he had Shaun Pollock as his partner.
With an under-19 international series coming up
against England,
Vandiar has much to look forward to this season.
By the close the Nashua Dolphins had stretched
their overall lead to 147 runs with nine wickets in hand.
In spite of losing their centurion, Gulam Bodi,
early on Saturday morning, the Nashua Titans still managed to limit the Nashua
Titans to a lead of only four runs in their match at Willowmoore Park.
This was largely thanks to a partnership of 85 for the eighth wicket between
Pierre Joubert and Morne Morkel. The latter finished only one run short of a
career best, finishing on 56 off 129 balls with six fours.
The Cobras finished the day with a lead of 146
runs but their big four of Herschelle Gibbs, JP Duminy, Justin Ontong and
Andrew Puttick are all back in the pavilion and an exciting final day is in
stall. Much will depend on South
Africa A batsman Henry Davids (currently 62
off 125 balls, 7x4, 1x6).
The Chevrolet Warriors set the Gestetner
Diamond Eagles the seemingly impossible target of 501 for victory in their
match at Sahara Oval St. George’s. The Warriors lost only four wickets with
both Zander de Bruyn and Arno Jacobs reaching 81 before declaring.
The Diamond Eagles improved on their disastrous
first innings with teenager Rilee Rossouw (66 in three hours with 11
boundaries) impressing for the second week in a row in the difficult No. 3 position.
They finished the day on 166/6 with 335 runs
still needed and it is difficult to see how they can avoid a heavy defeat.
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