Magrat Garlick
Rather Mad Witch
Titans vs Cricket Web A
at Centurion
Scorecard
Ball By Ball
Sean Fuller clamored for a place in the side for the second Test match with a match-saving unbeaten 128, the second-highest score by the A team on tour, as the Titans were overcome in a high-strung encounter in which the captain struggled with the bat and the vice-captain had to save the face.
On the first day, there was little possibility of cricket due to showers lining the ground; the afternoon session was essentially washed out, but after the long break Bryce Cunningham came back rejuvenated and got the second, vital, breakthrough as van Jaarsveld felt one through to Jasotharan. Thomas then replaced him and got rid of the other dangerous batsman, opener Heino Kuhn, but Albie Morkel bashed 49 not out in the gloom before stumps on the first day.
Like the other Titans, however, he was unable to carry on with the start, lashing out to Collins twenty minutes into the second day's play for Bennett's second wicket. However, though Collins and Bennett barely yielded runs, Smith opted for a new-ball spell after rain had prevented play in the second half of the morning. It did not work immediately, but in the ball's sixth over Greg Thomas got the breakthrough, and after Alfonso Thomas inside-edged Cunningham, Fuller cleaned up the innings in two balls.
A gloomy evening gave plenty of movement for the Titans' bowlers, particularly Pierre Joubert, who decimated both openers plus in-form Armstrong for a duck. Sean Fuller was undeterred, however, and survived the new ball; towards the end of the day the clouds cleared and Fuller easily reached 65.
The third day started brutally for the Titans' bowlers, as Alfonso Thomas and Joubert were both taken for sixes by a rampant Fuller. However, Kearsley and Jasotharan succumbed to edges, and two rain breaks brought two wickets from Mbhalati and Morkel. At 217 for eight, the tourists were staring down the barrel, and Collins was trapped lbw first ball; the umpire refused to give it, however, and Collins dug in for a determined stand of 56 before Alfonso Thomas ended the innings with two loud lbw shouts against Collins and his namesake.
Leading by 44, the Titans sought to push their advantage. Instead, the start city of the first innings was repeated, but now the Webheads struck earlier. Helped by overhead conditions and variable bounce, the seamers produced a number of good deliveries, and with van Jaarsveld handing his wicket away when set on 39, there really were no place to build partnerships. Sean Bennett disappointed in his spells, and was taken for runs by Thomas, but the four seamers bowled with consistent pace and luck to decimate the Titans for 212. Even Collins enjoyed some luck with his quicker ball, though mere accuracy was the main ingredient in his figures of five for 37.
Scott and Smith easily played through to stumps, leaving the game finely poised with 219 required for victory and all wickets in hand on the final day. However, unlike the Webheads, the Titans had lost some zip over three days of gruelling, tensely fought cricket. Ethy Mbhalati kept his pace, and was rewarded with two wickets in the morning session, but gifted too many runs to Fuller and a promoted Jasotharan. By lunch, the total stood at 168 for four, and though Fuller had not cut loose it seemed he would be able to play the rock role again.
Fuller only batted for forty more minutes, with Paul Harris getting his only wicket of the match with a pitched-up delivery, but by then it was all too late. Garven had played at a run-a-ball, brought up his fifty with a lovely cover drive, and repeated the shot to secure a five-wicket win; at the other end Kearsley desperately tried to find form, but looked streaky during his unbeaten 20. It was, however, good enough to win the game.
Titans 315 all out (93.2 overs)
M van Jaarsveld 52, JA Morkel 52; SE Fuller 3-44, GM Thomas 3-102, SA Bennett 2-35
Cricket Web 'A' 273 all out (75.5 overs)
SE Fuller 128*; P Joubert 5-94, AC Thomas 3-51
Titans 212 all out (58.2 overs)
M van Jaarsveld 39; AAA Collins 5-37, GM Thomas 3-48
Cricket Web 'A' 256 for five (56.3 overs)
NG Scott 59, AJ Garven 54*
Cricket Web 'A' won by five wickets
Man of the Match: S. E. Fuller (Cricket Web 'A')
at Centurion
Scorecard
Ball By Ball
Sean Fuller clamored for a place in the side for the second Test match with a match-saving unbeaten 128, the second-highest score by the A team on tour, as the Titans were overcome in a high-strung encounter in which the captain struggled with the bat and the vice-captain had to save the face.
On the first day, there was little possibility of cricket due to showers lining the ground; the afternoon session was essentially washed out, but after the long break Bryce Cunningham came back rejuvenated and got the second, vital, breakthrough as van Jaarsveld felt one through to Jasotharan. Thomas then replaced him and got rid of the other dangerous batsman, opener Heino Kuhn, but Albie Morkel bashed 49 not out in the gloom before stumps on the first day.
Like the other Titans, however, he was unable to carry on with the start, lashing out to Collins twenty minutes into the second day's play for Bennett's second wicket. However, though Collins and Bennett barely yielded runs, Smith opted for a new-ball spell after rain had prevented play in the second half of the morning. It did not work immediately, but in the ball's sixth over Greg Thomas got the breakthrough, and after Alfonso Thomas inside-edged Cunningham, Fuller cleaned up the innings in two balls.
A gloomy evening gave plenty of movement for the Titans' bowlers, particularly Pierre Joubert, who decimated both openers plus in-form Armstrong for a duck. Sean Fuller was undeterred, however, and survived the new ball; towards the end of the day the clouds cleared and Fuller easily reached 65.
The third day started brutally for the Titans' bowlers, as Alfonso Thomas and Joubert were both taken for sixes by a rampant Fuller. However, Kearsley and Jasotharan succumbed to edges, and two rain breaks brought two wickets from Mbhalati and Morkel. At 217 for eight, the tourists were staring down the barrel, and Collins was trapped lbw first ball; the umpire refused to give it, however, and Collins dug in for a determined stand of 56 before Alfonso Thomas ended the innings with two loud lbw shouts against Collins and his namesake.
Leading by 44, the Titans sought to push their advantage. Instead, the start city of the first innings was repeated, but now the Webheads struck earlier. Helped by overhead conditions and variable bounce, the seamers produced a number of good deliveries, and with van Jaarsveld handing his wicket away when set on 39, there really were no place to build partnerships. Sean Bennett disappointed in his spells, and was taken for runs by Thomas, but the four seamers bowled with consistent pace and luck to decimate the Titans for 212. Even Collins enjoyed some luck with his quicker ball, though mere accuracy was the main ingredient in his figures of five for 37.
Scott and Smith easily played through to stumps, leaving the game finely poised with 219 required for victory and all wickets in hand on the final day. However, unlike the Webheads, the Titans had lost some zip over three days of gruelling, tensely fought cricket. Ethy Mbhalati kept his pace, and was rewarded with two wickets in the morning session, but gifted too many runs to Fuller and a promoted Jasotharan. By lunch, the total stood at 168 for four, and though Fuller had not cut loose it seemed he would be able to play the rock role again.
Fuller only batted for forty more minutes, with Paul Harris getting his only wicket of the match with a pitched-up delivery, but by then it was all too late. Garven had played at a run-a-ball, brought up his fifty with a lovely cover drive, and repeated the shot to secure a five-wicket win; at the other end Kearsley desperately tried to find form, but looked streaky during his unbeaten 20. It was, however, good enough to win the game.
Titans 315 all out (93.2 overs)
M van Jaarsveld 52, JA Morkel 52; SE Fuller 3-44, GM Thomas 3-102, SA Bennett 2-35
Cricket Web 'A' 273 all out (75.5 overs)
SE Fuller 128*; P Joubert 5-94, AC Thomas 3-51
Titans 212 all out (58.2 overs)
M van Jaarsveld 39; AAA Collins 5-37, GM Thomas 3-48
Cricket Web 'A' 256 for five (56.3 overs)
NG Scott 59, AJ Garven 54*
Cricket Web 'A' won by five wickets
Man of the Match: S. E. Fuller (Cricket Web 'A')
