THINGS did not go as planned for the Northern Cape Heat on Friday at the Kimberley Diamond Oval on day two of their CSA 4-Day Series Division 2 encounter against The Eastern Cape Iinyathi.
After bundling the visitors out for 186 in just 57.4 overs. The Heat batsmen failed to come to the party and the hosts were dismissed for a disappointing 99 runs in just 31.4 overs.
Emanuel Motswiri (39) and Ruan Haasbroek (29) were the only Heat batsmen to contribute any scores of substance to the paltry total.
Nico van Zyl (4/31) and Chad Classen (3/26) did the damage for the visitors.
When bad light stopped play the Iinyathi were on 106/9 after 40 overs at the crease in their second innings, thanks mainly to Ernest Kemm’s brilliant 7/29 in his 15 overs. Jerome Bossr (25) and Classen (22 not out) scored the bulk of the runs for the visitors.
Saturday will see a tense contest at the Diamond Oval. If the Heat can take the last wicket cheaply, they will have the rest of the day to patiently build their way to a victory total, but a late flurry by the Iinyathi could make things difficult for the hosts.
Already the deficit is over 190 runs, and anything more than that, judging by the way the bowlers have held sway in the match thus far, could prove to be a huge hill to climb.
Score Summary
Eastern Cape Iinyathi (first innings) 186
Mncedisi Malika 61, Marco Marais 35; Hardus Viljoen 5/40, Basheer Walters 2/27
Northern Cape Heat (first innings) 99
Emanuel Motswiri 39, Ruan Haasbroek 29; Nico van Zyl 4/31, Chad Classen 3/26
Eastern Cape Iinyathi (second innings) 106/9
* At the time of publication, the umpires were waiting for the light to improve
Lance Fredericks
www.dfa.co.za