Warriors within sight of victory as weather almost sinks Knights hopes

A day after his brother CJ King took his maiden five-wicket haul, JP King scored his first century, giving the Eastern Province Warriors even more peace of mind as they seek to avoid relegation. 

With another day’s play washed out in Bloemfontein, where the Free State Knights — the other relegation-threatened team — are playing the DP World Lions, the Warriors will be getting increasingly confident about their chances of remaining in Division 1 next season. 

JP King’s outstanding innings of 143 was timely, after the Warriors looked in danger of giving up the control they’d had by taking a 56-run first innings lead. However, by stumps, thanks to King’s heroics and two wickets off consecutive deliveries by Senuran Muthusamy in the penultimate over before the close, the Warriors were eyeing victory, with the Dolphins on 37/2, still 344 runs behind. 

Earlier the home team slumped to 102/5 after their skipper Muthusamy — who made a gutsy hundred in the first innings — was superbly caught down the leg-side by Tshepang Dithole. But King was resilient and forged a crucial partnership of 82 with Andile Mogakane, who made 30, that steadied the innings and then reasserted the home team’s control. 

Once he’d settled, King unleashed some ferocious shots, underlining why he’d been drafted by the Joburg Super Kings in the SA20. He went to his hundred with an exquisitely timed back-foot drive to the boundary and then really opened his shoulders, eventually finishing with 14 fours and five sixes. Having smacked the last of those over the long-on boundary, he was dismissed off the next ball, attempting to cut Tristan Luus, but the miscue flew to third man where Bryce Parsons held a good catch diving forward. 

The Warriors were eventually bowled out for 325, leaving the Dolphins a target of 382. 

Luus, still only 19 and making his first-class debut at St George’s Park, finished with 5/90 from 24 overs, an impressive return for a player who has a bright future ahead of him. Okuhle Cele also bowled well and deserved his figures of 4/51. 

With the umpires fiddling with the light meter, Muthusamy brought himself on to bowl and had Sarel Erwee superbly caught for 20 by Romashan Pillay, who dived forward at short leg, with the nightwatchman Daryn Dupavillion then edging the first ball he faced to Mogakane at gully. 

At SuperSport Park, nearly 20 overs of play were possible but the Titans were only able to pick up one wicket, failing to add to their haul of bowling points against Boland. In surreal scenes, Dayyaan Galiem bowled spin and as the light improved returned to bowling his usual seamers, claiming the wicket of Ethan-John Cunningham, who played a poor shot and was caught in the covers for 31. 

Galiem had to return to bowling spin as the light got murkier, but then when Dewald Brevis started an over of leg-spin, suddenly the sun broke through the clouds. The subsequent overs of seam were shared by Galiem and Janco Smit but the Titans, who’ve claimed two points so far, were unable to add to that figure. 

Pieter Malan continued to make comfortable progress, reaching 90 not out when bad light eventually ended play. 

The Titans will be keeping a close eye on the match in Gqeberha on Sunday. More rain is forecast for Centurion and should their match end in a draw, they will pick up eight points, which would keep them ahead of the Dolphins on the points table — as long as the Warriors win. 

There was no play in Potchefstroom, leaving the players of Western Province and North West frustrated for the third day in a row.