As usual, it was the home team who adjusted best to tricky conditions at the Wanderers as the Central Gauteng Lions ended the first day of their CSA Four-Day Domestic Series match against the North-West Dragons in a commanding position.
Having bowled North-West out for just 159, they had reached 127-2 at stumps.
On a pitch that offered late movement, the Lions won a good toss and sent North-West in to bat under overcast skies.
Former Lions franchise player Wesley Marshall put them under early pressure though, blazing his way to 52 off just 36 balls, including three fours and two sixes off Lutho Sipamla’s third over.
But the Lions pacemen adapted to the onslaught and quickly found the right length to bowl.
Duanne Olivier probed intelligently and marked his return to domestic cricket with 4-50, while Sipamla rebounded to take 3-68. Sisanda Magala also kept the batsmen thinking with 2-24.
Nicky van den Bergh, a real stalwart of the former Lions franchise, was the only other North-West batsman to prosper, scoring 41.
The North-West bowlers were too inconsistent to apply the same amount of pressure and the Lions top-order played with composure and good judgement.
Josh Richards was going through the gears before he was trapped lbw by Lwandiswa Zuma for 56, sharing an opening stand of 73 with skipper Dominic Hendricks (26).
Ryan Rickelton (33) will be the batsman to lead the charge on Saturday morning.
At Centurion, the Eastern Province Warriors are in charge against the Northerns Titans, with a first-innings lead of 62 already with six wickets in hand. Sent in to bat first, Northerns were bundled out for a paltry 134; new-ball bowlers Glenton Stuurman (13-4-34-5) and Marco Jansen (11.2-2-31-3) taking command.
Jordan Hermann, playing his first senior game for the Titans, was their top-scorer with a brave 50 not out.
Eastern Province were in early trouble as Corbin Bosch reduced them to 25 for three, but opener Ed Moore batted through to stumps with a defiant 85 not out, while Diego Rosier scored an aggressive 85 off just 104 balls as the Warriors took control at 196-4.
Cape Town’s weather was still moulting from winter to summer on Friday morning, the start of play being delayed in the match between KZN Dolphins and Western Province. Eventually 72 overs were able to be bowled, with KZN reaching 186-4.
Bryce Parsons (45), Keegan Petersen (56) and Jason Smith (44) all looked at ease after the visitors were sent in to bat.
No play at all was possible in the match between the Free State Knights and the Boland Rocks in Bloemfontein.
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