A run-a-ball 79 from Patrick Kruger was one of four half-centuries that helped put the Dafabet Warriors in a commanding position on day three of the CSA 4-Day Series clash against Renault Potchefstroom North West Dragons at St George's Park in Gqeberha on Saturday.
The Warriors declared on 386 for seven in the second innings, thanks to further half-centuries by Sinethemba Qeshile (71), Matthew de Villiers (58) and Duanne Olivier (60).
Chasing 446 for victory, the Dragons lost both openers as Beyers Swanepoel and Duanne Olivier removed Janneman Malan (0) and Matthew Kleinveldt (8) respectively.
Lesiba Ngoepe (5) and Rubin Hermann (7) steadied the Dragons ship to see their side to stumps on 28 for two, needing 418 to win and three sessions on day four in which to do it.
The Warriors started the day on 41/2 with Jean du Plessis and Jiveshan Pillay at the crease. The pair added just one run to their overnight partnership before Du Plessis was out caught off Migael Pretorius to leave them on 42/3.
Pillay spent 210 minutes at the crease and faced 143 balls for his 43 runs as he and Qeshile shared 67 runs for the fourth wicket.
As Pillay perished, caught by Janneman Malan off Wihan Lubbe, the lead grew to 168 before Qeshile and De Villiers then picked up the mantle, adding 80 runs for the next wicket.
They took the lead to the brink of 250 before Qeshile fell to Achille Cloete for a well-played 71, hitting seven fours and a six and facing 112 balls.
De Villiers added a second half-century in successive innings, hitting seven fours on his way to 58, but was bowled by a Lubbe delivery that spun sharply to disturb his stumps while Cloete got rid of Swanepoel for a dozen just before the tea break.
Returning from the tea break on 274/7, Kruger went past 50 for the 11th time in his first-class career, as he and Olivier continued to frustrate the Dragons' attack, taking the second innings total past 300.
Their 77-run stand was finally broken when Kruger was trapped in front of his stumps by Lubbe, after clubbing 10 fours and a six.
Olivier registered his fourth first-class fifty, coming off 95 balls and including six boundaries, sharing 58 with Renaldo Meyer.
Their unbeaten partnership ended when the home side declared as Meyer added 19 to the total.
Lubbe returned figures of 3/94 while Mungroo and Cloete registered 2/46 and 2/72 respectively.
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Warriors hold upper hand over Dragons
Sports reporter
Image: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
A run-a-ball 79 from Patrick Kruger was one of four half-centuries that helped put the Dafabet Warriors in a commanding position on day three of the CSA 4-Day Series clash against Renault Potchefstroom North West Dragons at St George's Park in Gqeberha on Saturday.
The Warriors declared on 386 for seven in the second innings, thanks to further half-centuries by Sinethemba Qeshile (71), Matthew de Villiers (58) and Duanne Olivier (60).
Chasing 446 for victory, the Dragons lost both openers as Beyers Swanepoel and Duanne Olivier removed Janneman Malan (0) and Matthew Kleinveldt (8) respectively.
Lesiba Ngoepe (5) and Rubin Hermann (7) steadied the Dragons ship to see their side to stumps on 28 for two, needing 418 to win and three sessions on day four in which to do it.
The Warriors started the day on 41/2 with Jean du Plessis and Jiveshan Pillay at the crease. The pair added just one run to their overnight partnership before Du Plessis was out caught off Migael Pretorius to leave them on 42/3.
Pillay spent 210 minutes at the crease and faced 143 balls for his 43 runs as he and Qeshile shared 67 runs for the fourth wicket.
As Pillay perished, caught by Janneman Malan off Wihan Lubbe, the lead grew to 168 before Qeshile and De Villiers then picked up the mantle, adding 80 runs for the next wicket.
They took the lead to the brink of 250 before Qeshile fell to Achille Cloete for a well-played 71, hitting seven fours and a six and facing 112 balls.
De Villiers added a second half-century in successive innings, hitting seven fours on his way to 58, but was bowled by a Lubbe delivery that spun sharply to disturb his stumps while Cloete got rid of Swanepoel for a dozen just before the tea break.
Returning from the tea break on 274/7, Kruger went past 50 for the 11th time in his first-class career, as he and Olivier continued to frustrate the Dragons' attack, taking the second innings total past 300.
Their 77-run stand was finally broken when Kruger was trapped in front of his stumps by Lubbe, after clubbing 10 fours and a six.
Olivier registered his fourth first-class fifty, coming off 95 balls and including six boundaries, sharing 58 with Renaldo Meyer.
Their unbeaten partnership ended when the home side declared as Meyer added 19 to the total.
Lubbe returned figures of 3/94 while Mungroo and Cloete registered 2/46 and 2/72 respectively.
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