The KZN Tuskers outclassed the Mpumalanga Rhinos in the teams’ opening CSA Four-day Series match at Pietermaritzburg Oval last week.
The Tuskers dominated with bat and ball and won by an innings and 72 runs.
The Mpumalanga lads could not have had a worst start to their four-day campaign. Their performance bordered on shocking as the Tuskers took control of the match on the first day and never looked back.
The KZN skipper, Michael Erlank, won the toss on Thursday and chose to bat. It was the right decision.
After Cameron Shackleton was caught by Rubin Hermann off the bowling of Thula Ngcobo with the score on 27, Thamsanqa Khumalo and Erlank took the score to 268, in a partnership of 241 runs, before the captain lost his wicket, caught Jon Hinrichsen, bowled Alex Kok.
The Tuskers went on to declare on 441 for eight.
Khumalo top-scored with 141, including 26 fours.
Erlank hit 118 runs which included 18 fours.
Ngcobo was the pick of the Rhinos’ bowlers, taking three for 80 in twenty overs.
The Rhinos’ Tumi Koto and Blake Schraader scored 56 runs for the first wicket in their first inings. Koto was trapped LBW by Alindile Mhletywa.
The Rhinos lost the next nine wickets for just 95 runs. It was a disastrous batting performance as the wickets tumbled.
After the opening stand, the partnerships read: 17, 4, 12, 13, 35, 1, 13, 0.
The Rhinos were all out for 151 runs and asked to follow on.
Keith Dudgeon took four for 34 in 13 over for the Tuskers.
Koto and Schraader put on 47 runs for the first wicket in the Rhinos’ second innings, before Koto was caught by Erlank off the bowling of Stefan Tait.
Muhammed Mayet came in a three and was caught for a duck by Dilivio Ridgaardt off the bowling of Tait.
A 65 run third wicket partnership between Schraader and Yassar Cook gave the Rhinos a glimpse of getting back into the match.
But Schraader fell on 50, LBW Tait, with the scoreboard reading 112.
The last seven wickets fell for 106 runs. A patient 53 from Hermann the only highlight of the middle order and tail.
Hinrichsen went for eight in the 93rd over as the Tuskers celebrated their overwhelming victory.
Tait claimed his maiden first-class fifer, finishing with five for 67 in 17 overs.
The Rhinos were outmuscled over the four days. Their bowlers failed to put the Tuskers’ batsmen under pressure in their first innings, and then the
Mpumalanga boys were simply not capable of making any inroads with the bat.
The Tuskers moved straight to the top of the seven team log with 25.4 points.
The Rhinos are seventh with 4.02 points.
The Mpumalanga Rhinos will host the Northern Cape Heat in a CSA 4-Day Series match from November 3 to 6 at Uplands College.
• The Mpumalanga Rhinos have been awarded first-class status by Cricket South Africa and the International Cricket Council. All their matches this season will be awarded first class and A list status.
“This has been a long road and plenty of work was put in on and off the field. We would like to thank our president, Craig Nel, for his efforts in driving this process. This was out last hurdle and we look forward to building on this and start pushing for promotion to division one in the near future,” said Mpumalanga Cricket CEO Jaco Visagie.
