Van Zyl keeps Cobras on top
Stiaan van Zyl’s century helped the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras end day one of their SuperSport Series match against the Sunfoil Dolphins in control at the Pietermaritzburg Oval on Thursday.
The table-topping visitors have been heavily affected by national call-ups, with JP Duminy, Robin Peterson and Rory Kleinveldt all away with the Proteas.
Van Zyl made 110 off 206 balls, his ninth first-class century, and was the backbone for a depleted visiting side as they reached stumps on
311 for four.
Yaseen Vallie (71 off 121 balls) and Justin Ontong (60 off 94) also pulled their wight for the table-topping Cobras, who were missing JP Duminy, Robin Peterson and Rory Kleinveldt due to Proteas duty.
The home bowlers struggled for most parts of the day, although Robbie Frylinck did manage to capture three for 122 in a heavy shift of 43 overs.
The men from Cape Town, who overcame the Chevrolet Knights in their previous game last week, started the day positively when they had their captain Justin Kemp call correctly at the toss.
With three of their stars missing, there were places in the team for Richard Levi, Dane Piedt, Siya Simetu and veteran Charl Willoughby – bowler Beuran Hendricks was the other man to miss out.
After choosing to bat first, Vallie and Andrew Puttick put on exactly
50 for the first wicket in 13.5 overs.
But Puttick then became the first victim of the day when he chopped on from Frylinck for 16.
Van Zyl came in and looked solid as he and Vallie took the Cobras past
100 on the stroke of lunch.
They went into the break on 102 for one, with Vallie and Van Zyl extending their partnership to 87 before the second wicket fell.
Vallie was the man to go when he top-edged Frylinck to Divan van Wyk at square leg.
The score on 137 at that stage with the Cobras then going past 150 n the 46th over.
After starting out slowly, Ontong and Van Zyl then gradually picked up during their stand.
They took their side past 200 in the 61st over and by tea had reached
212 for two.
After the interval, Van Zyl went to his ton in 196 balls, followed by Ontong’s 50.
The partnership extended to 127 when Khayelihle Zondo struck.
The part-timer removed Ontong, who was trying to work a straighter delivery onto the off side and instead popped the ball to David Miller at mid-on.
Two balls later Van Zyl fell when he was trapped leg before wicket by Frylinck, who was bowling off-spin for most of the day rather than his regular medium pace.
However, any hopes of further inroads were then thwarted by Levi (19 not out) and Justin Kemp (24 not out) as they shared an unbroken 47-run stand that took the Cobras to stumps strongly-placed.
TEAMS
Sunfoil Dolphins – Imraan Khan (capt), Divan van Wyk, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, David Miller, Daryn Smit (wk), Cody Chetty, Khayelihle Zondo, Robbie Frylinck, Kyle Abbott, Brandon Scullard, Mthokozisi Shezi.
Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras – Andrew Puttick, Yaseen Vallie, Stiaan van Zyl, Justin Ontong, Richard Levi, Justin Kemp (capt), Dane Vilas (wk), Johann Louw, Dane Piedt, Siya Simetu, Charl Willoughby.