Rookie batsman Jordan Hermann of the Titans struck a century on Friday. Picture: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
Nineteen-year-old Jordan Hermann announced himself as a top-class young talent in Centurion on Friday as he stroked a brilliant century to put the Northerns Titans in a strong position after the first day of their CSA Four-Day Domestic Series match against the KZN Dolphins.
Northerns, having won the toss and electing to bat on a good pitch on a hot day, closed on 371/6.
Hermann scored 112 of those in a dazzling innings that came off just 132 deliveries and included 17 fours and a six. His knock was made even better by the fact he came to the crease when Northerns had suffered a mini-collapse, losing four wickets for 46 runs.
That came after a solid start by openers Neil Brand (56) and Grant Mokoena (49), who put on 109. But from 155/4, Gihahn Cloete (46) and Hermann counter-attacked and put on 67, before the youngster took control and cruised to his maiden first-class century in just his third innings. His two previous knocks brought him 50* and 62, so he has had a sensational start to his career.
KZN’s most successful bowler, Kerwin Mungroo (3/48), eventually had Hermann caught at cover-point, but Jiveshan Pillay (48*) and Corbin Bosch (20*) added another 44 before bad light stopped play with 14 overs still to be bowled.
At St George’s Park, paceman Lutho Sipamla produced a top-class display with the ball, taking a career-best 6/34 as the Central Gauteng Lions took a firm grip on their game against Eastern Province.
Choosing to bat first, EP were bundled out for a miserable 96, losing their last nine wickets for just 38 runs after Matthew Breetzke (26) and Lesiba Ngoepe (39) took them to 58/1.
The Lions had then reached 74/1 when bad light brought a premature close, Dominic Hendricks scoring 36 and Josh Richards 29*.
In Paarl, the Boland Rocks were having their own requiem for their batting as they slumped to 129/6 after winning the toss.
Opener Pieter Malan was holding vigil though as he scored a determined 96, before vital contributions by bowlers Shaun von Berg (47) and Hardus Viljoen (43) took Boland to a respectable 267. WP were 5/0 at stumps.
Seamer Mihlali Mpongwana was the best of the WP bowlers with outstanding figures of 5/39 in 17.5 overs.
In Potchefstroom, a late flood of runs saw the Free State Knights take full control of their match against the North-West Dragons.
Having sent Free State in to bat, North-West reduced them to 101/4 with left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy taking two of the wickets.
But captain Pite van Biljon shifted the momentum with a superb 127, his second successive century, before Patrick Kruger launched a sensational late blast, amassing a fiery 192* off just 210 balls to ram home the advantage as the Knights closed on 418/8.
