Tag: Dean Elgar

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Kyle Simmonds Crowned Overall Division 1 SACA MVP

The 2025/26 domestic cricket season concludes with Western Province all-rounder Kyle Simmonds named Division 1 Overall SACA MVP. Simmonds earned…

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Liam Alder Named Overall SACA MVP for Domestic Division 2

Following the completion of all domestic fixtures, Liam Alder of the Garden Route Badgers finished at the top of the…

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TWELVE YEARS OF RESEARCH-BASED PLAYER SERVICE

Over the past 12 years, the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) has cemented its dedication to evidence-based practice through a…

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PROTEAS WRAP UP NINE-WICKET SERIES CLINCHER

The Standard Bank Proteas needed just 47 minutes and 59 deliveries to score the 41 runs necessary for victory and wrap up the Castle Lager Test Series against Pakistan at PPC Newlands on Sunday. They now have a 2-0 lead in the series with the chance to make a clean sweep in the final match at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium, starting on Friday.

The final margin was 9 wickets after Theunis de Bruyn, opening in place of the injured Aiden Markram, was caught behind off a top edge, attempting to hook a bouncer from Mohammed Abbas.

Hashim Amla retired hurt after taking a nasty blow on the right arm, leaving Dean Elgar and Faf du Plessis to finish the job.

Du Plessis was named Castle Lager Man of the Match for his first innings century that underpinned the Proteas decisive first innings lead.

The Sunfoil Education Trust (SET) has benefited to the tune of R422 500 from the number of fours and sixes hit and wickets taken by the two sides in the series to date with the final tally for the current match being R217 500. The players on both sides score income for the fund by hitting boundaries (R1 000) and sixes (R2 000) and taking wickets (R2 500)

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MZANSI SUPER LEAGUE ANNOUNCES FINALISED T20 SQUADS

The inaugural Mzansi Super League (MSL) T20 Player Draft was held today at Montecasino in Johannesburg today.

Each team had already been allocated a Marquee Standard Bank Protea player. Today the teams made their picks from the six International Marquee Players and then filled the remaining 14 places in each squad from the foreign and South African players who had applied to enter the draft.

In the mini-round to select the International Marquee Players, the Durban heat had first call and went for Rashid Khan of Afghanistan, the No. 1 ranked bowler in the current ICC T20 rankings. They were followed by the Jozi Stars who went for Chris Gayle of the Windies. Paarl Rocks followed with another Windies player, Dwayne Bravo. Cape Town Blitz then took Dawid Malan of England followed by Tshwane Spartans with England white ball captain Eoin Morgan and Nelson Mandela Bay Giants with England opening batsman Jason Roy.

In round one proper, the Giants led off with Chris Morris, followed by the Spartans with Lungi Ngidi, the Blitz with Andile Phehlukwayo, the Rocks with Tabraiz Shamsi, the Stars with Kolpak star Dane Vilas and the Heat with David Miller.

Lutho Sipamla became the first rookie to be chosen in Round Eight by the Spartans and they followed with another rookie in Tony de Zorzi in Round Nine. Other rookies signed were Sinethemba Qeshile for the Stars, Dyllan Matthews for the Giants, Okuhle Cele for the Heat, Eathan Bosch for the Rocks, and Kyle Verreynne for the Blitz.

The resulting teams are a unique blend of both local youth and international experience which is sure to make for some very exciting cricket.

The Draft order was predetermined by a weighted Player Matrix system. The players who are eligible for the main Draft are those who entered into a binding agreement to enter the Draft.

FINAL SQUADS

(in order of Protea Marquee Player, International Marquee Player, and then the 14 draft rounds, making a total of 16 players per squad)

CAPE TOWN BLITZ: Quinton de Kock, Dawid Malan (England), Andile Phehlukwayo, Dale Steyn, Samuel Badree (Windies), Asif Ali (Pakistan), Farhaan Behardien, Anrich Nortje, Janneman Malan, Malusi Siboto, George Linde, Ferisco Adams, Jason Smith, Sibonelo Makhanya, Kyle Verreynne (rookie), Dane Piedt.

DURBAN HEAT: Hashim Amla, Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Kyle Abbott (kolpak), Keshav Maharaj, Khaya Zondo, Albie Morkel, Marchant de Lange (kolpak), Vernon Philander, Brandon Mavuta (Zimbabwe), Temba Bavuma, Morne van Wyk, Okuhle Cele (rookie), Sarel Erwee, Tladi Bokako.

JOZI STARS: Kagiso Rabada, Chris Gayle (Windies), Dane Vilas, Rassie van der Dussen, Daniel Christian (Australia), Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Dwaine Pretorius, Eddie Leie, Pite van Biljon, Duanne Olivier, Ryan Rickelton, Sinethemba Qeshile (rookie), Simon Harmer, Calvin Savage, Alfred Mothoa.

NELSON MANDELA BAY GIANTS: Imran Tahir, Jason Roy (England), Chris Morris, Jon-Jon Smuts, Junior Dala, Christiaan Jonker, Aaron Phangiso, Ben Duckett (England), Sisanda Magala, Ryan McLaren, Heino Kuhn, Marco Marais, Dyllan Matthews (rookie), Lizaad Williams, Rudi Second, Carmi le Roux.

PAARL ROCKS: Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo (Windies), Tabraiz Shamsi, Dane Paterson, Aiden Markram, Mangaliso Mosehle, Bjorn Fortuin, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Grant Thomson, Paul Stirling (Ireland), Tshepo Moreki, Henry Davids, Cameron Delport , Eathan Bosch (rookie), Patrick Kruger, Kerwin Mungroo.

TSHWANE SPARTANS: AB de Villiers, Eoin Morgan (England), Lungi Ngidi, Robbie Frylinck, Jeewan Mendis (Sri Lanka), Theunis de Bruyn, Rory Kleinveldt, Sean Williams (Zimbabwe), Gihahn Cloete, Lutho Sipamla (rookie), Tony de Zorzi (rookie), Dean Elgar, Andrew Birch, Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe), Shaun von Berg, Eldred Hawken.

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WARRIORS BOOK THEIR SPOT IN MODC FINAL

Half-centuries from captain JJ Smuts and openers Lesiba Ngoepe and Gihahn Cloete helped Warriors inflict an eight-wicket defeat on Multiply Titans at Supersport Park to book their spot in the final of the Momentum One-Day Cup.

Despite having topped the points table in the league round, Titans had to bow out after a meek surrender. Opting to field, the Warriors bowlers restricted them to a mere 230 before the top-three nearly polished off the chase amongst themselves.

Titans were off to a slow but steady start with the openers putting on a 47-run stand before calamity struck. Both opening batsmen fell in the space of four overs and even before they could recover, they lost Dean Elgar with the team’s score under 100. The team could never really recover from the quick wickets, and lost five more at regular intervals. All of Titans’ top five got starts, but neither could go past the 30-run mark.

Farhaan Behardien helped the side to a respectable total with his fifty. Coming in to bat at 115 for 4, he contributed a solid 57 off 67 balls to take his team past the 200-run mark. But no consistent support from the other end meant Titans fell short of reaching a challenging total. Behardien’s was the ninth wicket, and the last pair could add only nine more as Titans folded for 230 in 49.4 overs.

Warriors’ innings was in sharp contrast to that of Titans. Ngoepe (69) and Cloete (56) put on 115 runs for the opening partnership in little over 17 overs before the opposition could get a breakthrough. By then, however, the openers’ destructive hitting had ensured the match was well out of Titans’ grasp.

Ngoepe carried on, in the company of skipper Smuts, but couldn’t convert his half-century in a hundred. He fell for a 64-ball 69 that contained half a dozen hits to the fence and two over it. Smuts took charge then on, hammering an unbeaten 74 off just 60 deliveries to take his side over the line with more than 15 overs to spare. Smut’s unbeaten knock included 11 boundaries and a six. He hit the winning runs in the 35th over to send Titans packing.

 

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RABADA LEADS PROTEAS TO EMPHATIC 333-RUN VICTORY

 

Kagiso Rabada  took on the responsibility of leading the attack in the absence of Morne Morkel in spectacular style as the Standard Bank Proteas thrashed Bangladesh by 333 runs with time and overs to spare on the final day of the first Sunfoil Test match at Senwes Park in Potchofstroom on Monday.

Rabada needed just 19 balls to blow away what was left of the Bangladesh top order with three wickets, including that of captain Mushfiqur Rahim to the third ball he send down.

For good measure Rabada also produced a bullet throw from the deep for a run out before Keshav Maharaj wrapped up what was left of the innings to finish with 7 wickets in the match. This gave him 50 wickets in only 12 Test matches to put him on the list of South Africa’s top performers to this landmark.

The Bangladesh innings lasted only 83 minutes as 7 wickets fell for 41 runs.

Only three of their batsmen reached double figures in this innings in a total of 90 all out. Maharaj finished with 4/25 and Rabada with 3/33.

Dean Elgar was named Sunfoil Man of the Match.

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ELGAR AND BAVUMA KEEP ENGLAND AT BAY

Dean Elgar  was battered, bruised but unbowed but he and Temba Bavuma guided the Standard Bank Proteas to the less stormy waters of the close of play on the fourth day of the third Test match at The Oval in London on Sunday.

England nevertheless held an overwhelming advantage as they reduced the Proteas to 117/4 in pursuit of a victory target 492 from an initial 148 overs. Victory will give England a 2-1 lead in the series and will mean that they retain the Basil d’Oliveira Trophy.

At one stage it looked as though England would win the match on the fourth day after Ben Stokes back up his century in the first innings by dismissing Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis off successive balls with Bavuma coming to the crease on a hat trick.

But Bavuma, as he has had to do too often in the past, proved to be the right man to stabilize the innings in partnership with Elgar. By the close of play they had shared an unbroken stand of 65 for the fifth wicket with Elgar on 72 (111 balls, 11 fours) and Bavuma on 16 (59 balls, 1 four).

Elgar got hit on the hand several times and also on different parts of his body and, if he does go on to complete his 8th Test century, he will have earned it the hard day. This is his third half-century of the series and he has been far and away the most consistent batsman for his team. He was clearly in significant distress and many of his strokes were played almost one-handed.

He and Bavuma are certainly the best men on current form for the crisis in which the Proteas find themselves and it does pose the question as to whether Bavuma should be moved up the order for the final Test match at Old Trafford, starting on Friday.

The Proteas did a reasonable bowling job on the fourth day with Keshav Maharaj chipping away at the middle-order to take three wickets (3/50 in 13.5 overs) but the damage had already been done when England claimed a lead of 178 on the first innings and their position was consolidated by Tom Westley (59 off 141 balls, 11 fours), Joe Root (50 off 94 balls, 6 fours) and Jonny Bairstow (63 off 58 balls, 6 fours and a six).

Stokes was the pick of the England attack when it came to their turn to bowl (2/29 in an eight-over spell) but all the England bowlers proved hard to handle and the key fact is that they have been more successful than their Proteas counterparts in putting the ball in the right spot consistently.

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DU PLESSIS TO MISS OPENING TEST

Standard Bank Proteas test captain, Faf du Plessis will miss the opening Test against England at Lord’s to remain with his wife after the birth of their first child. Dean Elgar will stand in as captain, leading South Africa for the first time.

Du Plessis will rejoin the squad later in the week to prepare for the second Test at Trent Bridge which begins on July 14.

In du Plessis’ absence, South Africa look set to pick Theunis de Bruyn ahead of newcomer Aiden Markram, who was included in the squad as cover for du Plessis. De Bruyn was preferred over Markram in the tour match at New Road last week, and made his debut in South Africa’s most recent Test against New Zealand after Stephen Cook was dropped from the opening berth. De Bruyn scored 12 runs in the match and selection convener Linda Zondi confirmed that when the batsman was reconsidered for a Test spot it would not be as an opener. This is, therefore, an opportunity to blood him in the middle order.

“Theunis played the one Test match in New Zealand. There’s been a sense of fairness to players,” Russell Domingo, South Africa’s coach, said. “We haven’t really discarded a player after one Test match, or two or three innings. At the moment he would be ahead in the pecking order, ahead of a guy like Aiden.”

Even if Markram is made to wait, South Africa will still have at least one newcomer to the XI come Thursday. Heino Kuhn is set to partner stand-in skipper Elgar at the top of the order which means half of South Africa’s top four will be fairly inexperienced. Hashim Amla, with 103 Test caps, will bat at No.3 with Temba Bavuma and JP Duminy at No.5 and 6 respectively.

South Africa can call on seniority in the bowling department, though. Vernon Philander was passed fit after sustaining an ankle injury during a county stint at Sussex. His availability was particularly pleasing to Domingo, who regards Philander as among the tougher prospects for batsmen.

“Vernon is a fantastic bowler for us. He is probably the hardest bowler to face in our side and when he is not there, we tend to struggle a little but because he gives us that control but also gives us the cutting edge if there is something in the wicket and also balances our side with his batting. He is a fantastic cricketer.”

Philander will form part of a three-pronged pack alongside Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel. Duanne Olivier, Chris Morris and Andile Phehlukwayo are the reserves.

With the focus on the make-up of their own XI as they “try to find out what the best combination is,” as Domingo put it, South Africa have not spent too much time weighing up their opposition. Like South Africa, England are under a new captain in Joe Root – although his is a permanent appointment – and Domingo suggested his side would look to a test a top order which continues to be juggled around.

“We haven’t looked too closely at their side. Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Alastair Cook, Stuart Broad, James Anderson are five seriously experienced players who are all match winners in their own right. They are a good side but they’ve also got some uncertainties,” Domingo said. “There’s a new opening batter in Keaton Jennings who has only played a handful of Tests and Gary Ballance has come back into the side. There are certain areas where they may be a little uncertain about that we want to expose.”

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ELGAR LEADS PROTEAS REVIVAL

Dean Elgar struck one of the finest centuries for his country to help the Standard Bank Proteas fight back from early trouble to end day one of the first Test against New Zealand with honours even at the University Oval in Dunedin on Wednesday.
 
The left-hander showed nerves of steel as he batted through the day to end unbeaten on 128 (262 balls, 22 fours) – South Africa reaching stumps on 229/4.
 
Elgar’s seventh career century was his second-longest in terms of balls, with the highest being the 316 deliveries he faced for 127 against Australia in Perth last year. It also came on the back of the tourists being in a huge hole at the start after they slipped to 22/3 in the first 19 overs against a disciplined Black Caps attack. Faf du Plessis (52 off 118 balls, 7 fours) and Temba Bavuma (37 not out) were also integral to the recovery.
 
The visiting captain won the toss at the start and took the rare option to bat first, the first time such a decision had been made in 22 Test matches in New Zealand – the last being in a clash between the hosts and Pakistan in Wellington during 2011. But it looked a questionable call as Stephen Cook (3), Hashim Amla (1) and JP Duminy (1) were all dismissed early, the latter pair removed within the space of five Neil Wagner (2/59) deliveries.
Elgar, who was dropped by wicketkeeper BJ Watling on 36, and Du Plessis then dug in as they put on 126 for the fourth wicket to give the innings a significant boost.
 
After the skipper fell to Jimmy Neesham (1/29), Bavuma proved the perfect foil with a typically determined 101-ball knock that enabled a further 81 to be added to the total with the visitors ending the day in the ascendancy.
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MOREKI DOUBLE STRIKE LEAVES COBRAS AND TITANS EVEN

Tshepo Moreki claimed two of the three late wickets to fall as the BuildNat Cape Cobras edged a weather-affected opening day of their Sunfoil Series clash against the Multiply Titans at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday.

The fast bowler claimed 2/22 in six overs to leave the hosts on 114/3 after they won the toss and batted first in their round eight meeting.

Only 31 overs were possible after rain washed out two sessions, before bad light also played a part late in the evening

The hosts had dominated the opening passages of play once the game eventually got underway with Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar bossing proceedings during an 86-run opening stand.

Standard Bank Proteas opener Elgar top-scored with 43 and rookie Markram hit 32 before both were dismissed from successive Moreki deliveries in the 21st over.

Captain Henry Davids (10) then fell to Lizaad Williams with less than three overs remaining as the Cobras finished strongly.

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MARKRAM & NGIDI CENTRAL TO TITANS’ INNINGS WIN

Multiply Titans surged to their first win of the season with a massive innings and 38-run victory over the Hollywood Bets Dolphins in Centurion, and they did it courtesy two franchise debutants. Aiden Markram and Lungi Ngidi were both making their maiden first-class appearances for the Titans and showed that the young talent in Centurion is blossoming.

Ngidi was first to the fore when he took four wickets in an opening spell that reduced the Dolphins to 61 for 4 in the 21st over. Senuran Muthusamy was the only Dolphins batsmen to show some fight and scored 52 but with no half-century stands, the Dolphins struggled to get over 200. They eked over the mark but not before Ngidi had picked up his fifth.

Markram was promoted to the franchise team in the absence of Dean Elgar, who has left on Test duty, and he was a perfect fit. He partnered Heino Kuhn in an opening stand of 203 and then put on 120 with Grant Mokoena for the second wicket while scoring 162 of his own. The Titans were well in the lead by the time Markram was dismissed with the Dolphins unable to make many inroads despite the return of Andile Phehlukwayo. Although none of the Titans bottom seven batsmen made more than 32, they batted into the third day and amassed 432, a lead of 225.

A worn-out Dolphins line-up up could not muster much resistance and by the time Ngidi bowled again, they were already three down. Khaya Zondo scored 68 but the Titans’ attack proved too strong for the rest. Wickets were shared all round with three each for Rowan Richards and Malusi Siboto while Ngigi added two for a match haul of seven.

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VANDIAR, SIBOTO NEW ARRIVALS AT TITANS

Malusi Siboto and Jonathan Vandiar will wear the colours of The Unlimited Titans in the 2016/17 season.

The pair join from the VKB Knights and Sunfoil Dolphins respectively, while Daniel Sincuba also switches from KwaZulu-Natal to the Easterns Titans franchise.

Seam bowler Siboto, 28, has grown in leaps and bounds since his Knights debut in the 2011/12 season.

Despite a lengthy injury lay-off, the right-armer was a key part of the team for the Central Franchise last season. Siboto has over 150 first-class wickets and more than 100 in the limited-over formats. He will be joined by two former Dolphins players at the Titans.

One is batsman Jonathan Vandiar, who previously played in Gauteng with the bizhub Highveld Lions. The 26-year-old spent a few seasons at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, but failed to stake a regular place in the team.

Sincuba, also a batsman, is a franchise cricket rookie having played seven matches for the Dolphins since his debut in 2014/15.

The Titans also boast the most number of nationally contracted player with six in total. They are Test and One-Day international captain AB De Villiers, T20 skipper Faf Du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Farhaan Behardien, Morne Morkel and Quinton De Kock.

Titans squad: Qaasim Adams, Junior Dala, Henry Davids, Morne Morkel, Heinrich Klaasen, Heino Kuhn, Farhaan Behardien, Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, Grant Mokoena, Albie Morkel, Chris Morris, Lungi Ngidi, AB de Villiers, Tabraiz Shamzi, Malusi Siboto, Daniel Sincuba, Grant Thomson, Shaun von Berg, David Weise, Quinton de Kock, Rowan Richards, Jonathan Vandiar, Faf du Plessis.

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ELGAR, ADAMS BAT TITANS TO A DRAW

A tremendous batting performances by Dean Elgar and Qaasim Adams helped the Unlimited Titans take a step closer towards the Sunfoil Series title with a battling draw against the bizhub Highveld Lions in their high-profile clash in Centurion on Sunday.

Proteas opener Elgar struck a monumental 173 (386 balls, 23 fours, 3 sixes) after batting for over nine hours with his side eventually finishing on 385/6.

Adams too played his part and was there at the end on 71 not out (190 balls, 10 fours) – himself batting for over four hours having arrived at the crease with defeat looking the likeliest of outcomes at SuperSport Park.

The top-of-the-table Titans had started out the day on 156/1 in their follow on innings and still needing another 223 to make the Lions bat again.

But they lost four wickets in the first session on Sunday as Grant Mokoena (27), Theunis de Bruyn (7), Mangaliso Mosehle (0) and Henry Davids (0) fell to the pace of Pumelela Matshikwe.

They were precariously placed at that stage on 216/5, but a 110-run sixth-wicket stand between Elgar and Adams rescued them. Not only did the pair keep hold of their wickets, but more importantly, they ate up time as their stand lasted more than 40 overs.

Matshikwe, who took all six wickets to fall for figures of 6/58 in 31 overs, eventually dismissed Elgar with more than 20 overs to play, but Adams found an unlikely batting ally in fast bowler Marchant de Lange. The Proteas paceman batted for over 20 overs with Adams to make 23 not out as the game ended in a draw.

 

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KUHN HELPS TITANS EXTEND SUNFOIL SERIES LEAD

Heino Kuhn scored a half-century as the Unlimited Titans rushed to an impressive eight-wicket win over the Warriors on the fourth day of their Sunfoil Series match at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on Monday.

The opener, who began the day on 29, raced to his half-century off 62 deliveries, before being dismissed for 67 (89 balls, 10 fours, 1 six) with the hosts reaching 145/2 to complete the win.

In the process Kuhn became the first player, this season, to go past 900 runs and he took his overall aggregate to 944 runs, well ahead of the next highest run-getter, the bizhub Highveld Lions’ Stephen Cook who has collected 720 runs.

It had looked as if rain might have had the final say in the match with the first session of the day washed out. But play resumed after an early lunch had been taken with the Titans needing just 82 runs for victory.
The Pretoria-based team needed just 13.1 overs to knock off the required runs and complete a comprehensive win that saw them strengthen their position atop the Sunfoil Series standings. Kuhn made his intentions clear from the first over of the day as he struck four consecutive fours off the bowling of seamer Sisanda Magala.

Dean Elgar (39) and Kuhn shared in a 102-run opening stand, scoring at almost five runs to the over, before Elgar was caught at midwicket off the bowling of left-arm spinner Jon-Jon Smuts.

Kuhn eventually departed but, by that stage, the Titans needed just 15 runs to win which they duly achieved with Grant Mokoena ending on 27 not out. Left-arm wrist-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi was the undoubted star of the show in the contest as he ended with match figures of 12/173 to claim the man-of-the-match award. Shamsi has now taken a remarkable 32 wickets in just five matches at an average of 16.84.

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TITANS STRETCH THEIR LEAD AT THE TOP

Marchant de Lange produced career-best figures to help Titans stretch their lead at the top of the points table with a crushing 359-run win against Knights in Centurion. De Lange took 7 for 76 in the second innings to follow up his four-for in the first as Knights were routed for for 164, chasing 524. Only Michael Erlank provided brief resistance with a patient fifty.

Titans, who chose to bat, posted 277 on the back of Dean Elgar’s 79 along with handy contributions from Heino Kuhn (45) and Theunis de Bruyn (40). Right-arm seamer Duanne Olivier took his ninth five-wicket haul to restrict Titans.

De Lange’s 4 for 34 and Rowan Richards’ 4 for 41 destroyed Knights in their first innings, bowling them out for 122 and gaining a 155-run lead in the process. Erlank was the top-scorer with 27. Kuhn and de Bruyn then continued their form, sharing an unbeaten 254-run stand to push Titans’ lead to 523 before the innings was declared.

Kuhn, the tournament’s top-scorer, struck 20 fours and a six in his 244-ball 151, while de Bruyn, who is currently third on the run-scoring charts, hit his 150 in just 174 balls, including 18 fours and three sixes.

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PHEHLUKWAYO OUTPLAYS CENTURIONS IN CENTURION

A stunning six-wicket haul by Andile Phehlukwayo helped the Sunfoil Dolphins end their Momentum One-Day Cup campaign with a 34-run win over the Unlimited Titans at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in Durban on Saturday.

The teenage star claimed 6/27 in a magical 8.4 overs, which also included two maidens, as the visitors were bowled out for 281 in pursuit of an imposing 316.

That target was built around a record 210-run stand between Khaya Zondo and Sarel Erwee, who both struck centuries. Erwee top-scored with his maiden List A ton, clocking up 113 (128 balls, 11 fours, 2 sixes), while Zondo thumped 100 (104 balls, 4 fours, 6 sixes) – his third century in the one-day format. Their partnership surpassed the previous best 179 second-wicket record for the Dolphins between Doug Watson and Wade Wingfield back in the 2004/05 season.

The pair set a perfect platform for their team-mates, but they slightly peeled off towards the end, finishing on 315/6. Junior Dala was the pick of the bowlers with 3/58.

The Titans’ chase never really got going as they lost wickets at regular intervals. A half century from top-scorer Dean Elgar (57) gave them outside hope, until they lost the Proteas opener and Qaasim Adams (38), both to Phehlukwayo, in quick succession to slump to 188/6. But Albie Morkel’s superb 52 (36 balls, 7 fours, 1 six) re-ignited their challenge, until he the big-hitting all-rounder eventually was dismissed with five overs to go.

With it went the hopes of the Titans as Phehlukwayo, whose figures were the second-best in franchise cricket for the home team, mopped up the tail to send the Dolphins up to fourth on the table with their set of 10 games completed. They also ended the visitors’ slim hopes of reaching the qualifier.

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RABADA’S SEVEN-WICKETS PUTS PROTEAS AHEAD

Kagiso Rabada added another chapter of achievement to his stellar young career when he claimed his first seven-wicket haul at the highest level to give the Castle Lager Proteas a major advantage after three days of the final Sunfoil Test match at SuperSport Park on Sunday.

His figures of 7/112 followed his first ever five-wicket haul in Test cricket in the previous Test match at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium where he took 5/78. He has now taken 16 wickets in the series which is just one behind the current leader, Stuart Broad.

His analysis included taking three key wickets in the space of 12 deliveries – and they were big ones in Joe Root, James Taylor and Jonny Bairstow – that broke the back of the England innings as the visitors went from 208/3 to 211/6. Rabada then dismissed the other key middle-order batsman, Ben Stokes, with the second new ball to complete the destruction.

His performance gave the Proteas a first innings lead of 133 runs which had been extended to 175 runs by the close for the loss of Dean Elgar’s wicket. It was the first time in the series that the Proteas had produced a dominant first innings performance both with bat and ball.

The significant factor of this Test match has been the fact that the Proteas have scored three centuries while England’s batting has only managed three half-centuries. Both Alastair Cook and Root made 76 while Moeen Ali rallied the lower-order with his innings of 61.

The only setback for the Proteas on arguably their best day of the series was the loss of Kyle Abbott with a reported hamstring strain. His participation in England’s second innings will be vital as otherwise the Proteas will be down to two seamers and three specialist bowlers in all.

As it was, Rabada had to bowl 29 overs, most of them in fairly long spells.

With two days to go the Proteas will want to pile on the runs on the fourth day and also occupy the crease for a considerable length of time as the more wear and tear there is in the pitch the harder it will be for England to survive in the final innings.

The England bowlers exploited lively bounce at the start of the South African second innings with Hashim Amla taking a nasty blow on his bottom hand that required running repairs.

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STEPHEN COOK JOINS PROTEAS TEST SQUAD

Cricket South Africa (CSA) today added Stephen Cook to the Castle Lager Proteas squad for the final Sunfoil Test match against England, starting at SuperSport Park on Friday.

The bizhub Highveld Lions opening batsman currently tops the Sunfoil Series batting averages with 415 runs at an average of 83 including two centuries. If he does gain selection for the final XI he will part of the first ever father and son combination to represent the Proteas in a Test match.

His father, Jimmy, played in three Test matches against India and Sri Lanka between 1992 and 1993.

“Stephen has been in excellent form this season,” commented CSA Selection Convener, Linda Zondi, and gives us another option at the top of the order.”

Castle Lager Proteas Test squad: AB de Villiers (The Unlimited Titans, capt), Kyle Abbott (Sunfoil Dolphins), Hashim Amla (Cape Cobras), Temba Bavuma (bizhub Highveld Lions), Stephen Cook (bizhub Highveld Lions), Quinton de Kock (The Unlimited Titans), JP Duminy (Cape Cobras), Faf du Plessis (the Unlimited Titans), Dean Elgar (The Unlimited Titans), Morne Morkel (The Unlimited Titans), Chris Morris (The Unlimited Titans), Dane Piedt (Cape Cobras), Kagiso Rabada (bizhub Highveld Lions), Rilee Rossouw (VKB Knights), Dale Steyn (Cape Cobras), Stiaan van Zyl (Cape Cobras), Hardus Viljoen (bizhub Highveldl Lions).

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PROTEAS COLLAPSE PUTS INDIA AHEAD

India bowled the Castle Lager Proteas out virtually in one session to take a huge advantage into the second half of the final Freedom Series Test match at Delhi on Friday.

The Proteas had gone into tea on 38/1 with Temba Bavuma looking comfortable in his new role of opening batsman and there was no indication of what was to follow. But by the close of play the Proteas were all out for 121 with the opening stand of 36 between Bavuma and Elgar being easily the best of the innings. In all they lost 9/83 in the session.

India had taken their overnight 231/7 to a very handy 334 all out with Ajinkya Rahane (127 off 215 balls, 11 fours and 4 sixes) scoring his fifth Test century and his first on home soil. He was well supported by Ravi Ashwin (56 off 140 balls, 6 fours and a six) in a partnership of 98 for the eighth wicket.

It represented a huge turnaround from the position at tea on the first day when India were struggling at 139/6. What happened in the evening session thereafter was probably the turning point of the match.

There can be no excuses for the South African batting effort with the possible exception of AB de Villiers (42 off 78 balls, 5 fours), who was caught on the boundary as he ran out of partners.

All four Indian frontline bowlers dovetailed superbly together. Although Ravendra Jadeja took the individual honours with his fourth five-wicket haul (5/30 in 12 overs, all bowled in the final session), the Proteas struggled as much against reverse swing as they did against the spinners who did not get any particular advantage out of the pitch apart from the odd delivery that kept low.

Significantly, the best performances in this match have largely come from the new players brought into the team. Dane Piedt took 4 wickets on the first day and Kyle Abbott cleaned up the tail this morning to finish with an impressive 5/40 in 24.5 overs.

Bavuma may have made only 22 but he looked to the manner born. His judgment outside the off-stump was excellent as was his balance and footwork. There are advantages to being small in the game of cricket and Bavuma has adjusted his game plan well to the needs of the situation. There is every reason to retain him in this position for the start of the Test series against England.

India have been sharper than the Proteas everywhere that has counted and the first innings deficit of 213 has effectively put the Proteas out of the game.

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