Draws all round give Lions the advantage

The Lions emerged as the main beneficiaries from the penultimate weekend in the Cricket SA Four-Day Series, in which all three matches were drawn. 

The Lions and Dolphins, who went into their fixture at the Wanderers in the top two spots, were left scraping for bonus points on Sunday, after rain washed out more than two days’ play.

The Lions were on 250/2 when the players shook hands, with opener Josh Richards helping himself to a first century this season. As a result, the Lions picked up 13 points, giving them a 14-point lead atop the log going into the last round of matches starting on Thursday.

Unless they suffer a catastrophic meltdown in Bloemfontein, where they play the Free State Knights, it is virtually impossible for them not to get the opportunity to defend their title in the final that starts on April 10. 

The Dolphins missed out on a bowling point after picking up just two wickets and finished with 11.14 points, which will leave them third on the table ahead of their final fixture against the Eastern Province Warriors in Gqeberha. 

The KwaZulu-Natal side, who had come into this match on a seven-game winning streak, were bowled out for 357, with opener Tshepang Dithole’s 157 as the backbone of their innings. Romashan Pillay unleashed some stylish shots in his 60 to get the Dolphins past the 350-mark.

Lutho Sipamla (3/61) and Codi Yusuf (4/54) were by some distance the standout performers with the ball for the home side, helping them pick up a full quota of bowling points. But with bigger matches to come in the remaining weeks of the season the Lions need to improve their discipline and control with the ball.

Western Province were unable to take more than three wickets in Boland’s second innings on what was a placid pitch at Newlands, but they still kept faint hopes alive of qualifying for the final.

The home team had declared overnight on 106/2 as expected, leaving Boland to get an unlikely 381 to win. But the early loss of Pieter Malan — who looked furious after being given out caught down the leg-side — put paid to any attempts Boland were likely to make in pursuing a hefty target. 

The pitch offered little assistance to the seamers, and only just before tea did spinner George Linde get a couple of deliveries to misbehave out of the rough, eventually dismissing Grant Roelofsen for 92. Western Province are fourth on 88.84 points, with a trip to Potchefstroom to play the North West Dragons set to determine their fate in the competition. 

The Dragons, thanks to an unbeaten 138-run second wicket partnership between Lesiba Ngoepe and Raynard van Tonder and an afternoon shower in Centurion, claimed a draw against the Titans. 

The Titans, who scored 463/9 declared thanks to centuries from Keegan Petersen and Dewald Brevis, collected a healthy 10.36 bonus points, which was enough to lift them above the Dolphins into second place. They will host Boland in their last league match.