Duanne Olivier and Beyers Swanepoel bowled brilliantly to give the Dafabet Warriors the advantage on the second day of their CSA 4-Day Series match against the Renault Potchefstroom North-West Dragons at Dafabet St George’s Park on Friday.
At stumps, the Warriors were on 41-2. They are leading the Dragons by 100 runs with eight wickets in hand.
The Warriors, who carried a 59-run lead into their second innings, were bowled out for 298 in their first dig and restricted the Dragons’ reply to 239.
Jiveshan Pillay (14*) and Jean du Plessis (23*) were at the crease for the hosts.
Pillay and Du Plessis joined forces for an unbroken 40-run third-wicket partnership after Kerwin Mungroo had wreaked havoc in the second over of the Warriors’ second innings.
The pacer dismissed Jordan Hermann and Andile Mogakane for ducks.
Olivier announced himself in the Warriors’ four-day side in style, taking four wickets for 39 runs in 10 overs in the morning session.
The pacer moved to St George’s Park this year after a spell with the DP World Lions.
The 32-year-old did not take long before he pinned the visitors on the back foot. The Proteas seamer finished the day with four wickets for 72 runs in 21 overs.
Beyers Swanepoel finished what Olivier started in the morning with two wonderful spells in the afternoon.
The all-rounder bagged a brace of wickets in the post-lunch period and then returned to sweep the tail after tea.
He finished the day with four wickets for 65 runs in 21.4 overs.
LONE BATTLE
The two bowlers’ brilliant spells were interrupted by a belligerent fightback from Ruan de Swardt.
The all-rounder fought a lone battle as he tried to keep his side in the contest.
He scored a well-played 92 from 160 balls.
De Swardt was the third batter to fall in the 90s in the match, after Jordan Hermann (99) and Matthew de Villiers (94) on day one.
De Swardt was part of the make-shift test side that toured New Zealand earlier in the year on the strength of his all-round abilities.
He scored a single half-century in two matches.
The 26-year-old showed his class and experience as he took control of the post-lunch session.
The all-rounder kept a level head as he worked his way to an 11th first-class 50.
He shared an 82-run ninth-wicket partnership with Kerwin Mungroo, who recorded a career-best score of 37.
WARRIORS: Jordan Hermann (capt), Jiveshan Pillay, Andile Mogakane, Jean du Plessis, Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), Matthew de Villiers, Patrick Kruger, Beyers Swanepoel, Duanne Olivier, Renaldo Meyer, Siya Simetu.
DRAGONS: Janneman Malan, Matthew Kleinveldt, Lesiba Ngoepe, Rubin Hermann, Wihan Lubbe (capt), Ruan de Swardt, Meeka-eel Prince (wk), Migael Pretorius, Bamanye Xenxe, Kerwin Mungroo, Achille Cloete.
