A heroic sixth wicket stand between Ruan de Swardt and Andile Phehlukwayo helped the Hollywoodbets Dolphins hold off the Itec Knights in a nail-biting CSA 4-Day Domestic Series encounter that ended in a draw at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, the Free Staters declared their first innings on 397/4 early on the final day after adding a further 76 runs to their overnight score, to give them a lead of 171 runs.
In the process, they quickly lost the wicket of Farhaan Behardien for a brisk 46 and then Patrick Kruger for 26, while Martin Kleinveldt ended the innings unbeaten on 177.
The home side then dug in to work away at the deficit, with openers Bryce Parsons and Thamsanqa Khumalo repelling the efforts of the Free Stater bowlers, taking the home side to lunch at 30 without loss.
In the second session both openers fell to George Coetzee, and then skipper Marques Ackerman was bowled by spinner Jacques Snyman to leave the Dolphins at 48/3, still trailing by 123.
The in-form Khaya Zondo then joined Petersen at the crease and started building a fourth-wicket partnership intent on altering the momentum of the match.
By tea the Dolphins were under pressure at 100/4, having lost Zondo for a patient 12, still 71 runs in arrears when de Swardt joined Petersen to man the trenches. Petersen was caught hooking Coetzee on 129 for a valuable 43.
That brought Phehlukwayo to the crease to join Petersen to stage the rear-guard action that secured the draw for the Dolphins, with de Swardt recording his half-century to finish unbeaten on 51 and Phehlukwayo adding 16 off 52 deliveries.
Next week the Dolphins travel to Potchefstroom for their fourth match of the CSA 4-Day Domestic Series to take on the Dragons.
