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Dolphins joust with Knights on opening day in Bloemfontein

Hollywoodbets Dolphins

Disciplined bowling from their seamers and spinners allowed the Hollywoodbets Dolphins to finish the first day of their 4 Day Domestic Series match against the VKB Knights at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein in a competitive position.

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The Knights got off to a solid start, before the Dolphins bowling attack made good inroads early on in the final session to throttle back the home side’s run rate as Keshav Maharaj and Ottneil Baartman got wickets, meaning that all six bowler used by the Dolphins on the first day got amongst the wickets.

Raynard Van Tonder anchoring the Knight’s innings, and was well supported by Shaun Von Berg, who dropped anchor at the other end in a stubborn seventh wicket partnership before Von Berg fell caught behind to Baartman shortly before the close of play.

When stumps were drawn Van Tonder was unbeaten on 119 and Migael Pretorius with him on 10, to end the day with the hosts on 323/7.

Earlier, after winning the toss the home side began in very similar fashion to the way they started their competition opener last week with both openers scoring freely for the most part of the opening hour of play.

The Knights cruised to 76 in the twelfth over of the day before a yorker from Dolphins debutant Lifa Ntanzi trapped the inform Jacques Snyman in front for 35 off just 37 balls.

Other opener Matthew Kleinveldt was also in fine form as he raced to 44 before he chased a wide one from Andile Phehlukwayo and edged through to Grant Roelofsen.

The Dolphins bowlers then managed to get the scoring rate under better control post lunch but Rynard van Tonder and Knights captain Pite van Biljon put on 64 for the third wicket before the latter also fell to a debutant.

Ruan de Swart was tasked with taking the new ball and was disciplined in his first spell. He then picked up the big wicket of Van Biljon, caught in the covers by Dolphins captain Marques Ackerman for 39.

The experienced Farhaan Behardien joined Van Tonder who went past fifty. The pair settled in but the Dolphins bowling managed to keep the scoring rate in check for most of the afternoon session to tea.

Behardien was the next wicket to fall, edging Senuran Muthusamy to Ackerman at slip who juggled it before taking the catch. Behardien was also dismissed for 39 with the score on 225 for four.

VKB Knights v Hollywoodbets Dolphins

Knights 323/7

R, Van Tonder 119*

M. Klienveldt 44

O. Baartman 2/69

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