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03 March 14:03
Lions fight back to take 4-Day series crown against Western Province
A fantastic fightback by the Lions in their second innings paved the way for their victory over Western Province in the 4-Day series final at the Wanderers.
After the Lions could only manage 225 batting first, Province established a useful 87-run lead in making 312 in their first innings.
They then had the Lions in series trouble at 113/6, a lead of just 26, before Delano Potgieter stole the show by scoring 155*. He was supported by Bjorn Fortuin (42) and Cody Yusuf (46) as the Lions tail wagged to see them to 394 all out.
Needing 308 to claim the title, Western Province were bowled out on day 5 for 209, with Fortuin picking up 5/49 to give the Lions victory by 99 runs.
03 March 13:48
ALL OVER!
Moreki wraps it up for the Lions, they are the 2023/24 4-Day Series champions as they down Western Province by 99 runs!
03 March 13:15
DOUBLE STRIKE!
Fortuin removes Daniel Smith (52) and Beuran Hendricks (2) to leave WP on 207/8 and still 101 runs to win.
03 March 11:43
More trouble for WP as they are now 183/6.
The Lions also have access to the new ball in 16 overs.
They need four wickts to win the 4-day series final while Province need 126 runs.
03 March 10:56
WICKET!
The Lions are on top now as Tony de Zorzi is trapped LBW by Bjorn Fortuin for 55.
WP 153/5 needing 155 to win.
03 March 10:39
WICKET!
A breakthrough for the Lions as Kyle Verreynne is LBW to Cody Yusuf for 40.
Western Province 121/4 needing 187 to win.
03 March 09:36
Going into the final day, Western Province need 209 runs to win the 4-Day Series final against the Lions at the Wanderers.
At the crease are Tony de Zorzi (38*) and Kyle Verreynne (27*).
02 March 14:23
Tony De Zorzi (21*) and Edward Moore (22*) are in the middle for Western Province and have brought up their unbeaten fifty-run stand.
WP 51/0, need 257 runs to win
02 March 14:22
UPDATE:
Western Province are on 39-0 as they require need 269 runs to win the CSA 4-Day Series final against the Lions at the Wanderers.
Resuming day four of the five-day final on 282/8, Lions posted a competitive total of thanks to a stunning unbeaten century by Delano Potgieter.
Potgieter scored an unbeaten 155 off 244 balls and shared a 118-run partnership with Codi Yusuf (46 off 91).
Mthiwekhaya Nabe ended on four for 90 as the Lions were bundled out for 394 to set Western Province a target of 308 to lift the first-class title.
29 February 18:53
29 February 17:39
STUMPS | WP gain foothold in final after quick late wickets.
Western Province gained a significant foothold on the second day of the Four-Day Series final against Lions, reducing the hosts to 10/2 after being bowled out for 312.
Openers Dominic Hendricks (6) and Josh Richards (2) couldn't survive the last 30 minutes, losing their wickets to Mthiwekhaya Nabe and Dane Paterson respectively as they trail by 77 runs going into the third day.
29 February 17:19
WICKET UPDATE | Richards gone as Lions struggle in third innings
Josh Richards couldn't resist fiddling outside off-stump and has feathered one to Kyle Verreynne off Dane Paterson to leave the Lions tottering at 8/2 two balls into the fifth overs.
Tshepo Moreki came out as the night-watchman.
29 February 17:17
WICKET UPDATE | Hendricks goes after wild slash
Dominic Hendricks (6) needlessly lost his wicket when he slashed at a wide delivery to be caught at first slip by Daniel Smith off Mthiwekhaya Nabe to be 8/1 in the fourth over.
He was replaced at the crease by Zubayr Hamza
29 February 16:52
INNINGS UPDATE | Moreki gets first red-ball five-fer as WP are out for 312
Tshepo Moreki claimed his first first-class five-wicket haul when through dismissing Mthiwekhaya Nabe, the Lions wrapped up Western Province's first innings for 312.
Moreki, who played in both Test matches for South Africa against the West Indies, collected the wickets of Eddie Moore (45), Tony de Zorzi (51), Kyle Verreynne (14), Dane Paterson (4) and Nabe (0) to collect figures of 5/65 in 18.3 overs.
Western Province though earned themselves a lead of 87 after bowling the Lions out for 225 inside the first day.
29 February 16:45
WICKET UPDATE | Paterson falls after drinks
Dane Paterson (4) has fallen immediately after the drinks break, nicking one to Ryan Rickelton off Tshepo Moreki as Western Province fell to 312/9, with a lead of 87.
29 February 16:26
WICKETS UPDATE | Mpongwana, Simmonds fall in quick succession
Kyle Simmonds (7) and Mihlali Mpongwana (23) fell in quick succession, being collected by Dominic Hendricks and Bjorn Fortuin respectively.
WP are now 302/8 with Beuran Hendricks (6*) and Dane Paterson (0*) at the crease with a lead of 77.
29 February 16:04
WICKET UPDATE | Fortuin gets Smith
Daniel Smith (60), who was dropped by Wiaan Mulder at slip the ball before, has been trapped in front by Bjorn Fortuin to end his fighting knock.
The wicket sees WP slip to 286/6 with Kyle Simmonds at the crease, with the lead being 61.
29 February 15:56
DRINKS UPDATE | Smith holds firm as WP builds lead
Daniel Smith is unbeaten on 53 as Western Province moved to 277/5 after 74 overs, with Mihlali Mpongwana not out on 23. Their partnership is now on 32 and their lead is 52.
29 February 15:39
LANDMARK UPDATE | Smith reaches 50
Daniel Smith has reached his seventh first-class 50, with his seventh in the format coming off 102 balls with seven fours. After 71 overs, the Lions are currently 265/5 with a lead of 40.
29 February 15:21
WICKET UPDATE | Kaplan castled by Potgieter
Delano Potgieter, who top-scored for the Lions, has claimed the scalp of Gavin Kaplan, bowling him with a straight ball that kept rather low, with Kaplan making 60 off 122.
The wicket fell with the score on 245, with Mihlali Mpongwana the new man at the crease.
29 February 14:48
TEA UPDATE | Kaplan, Smith drive WP's response with strong stand
Gavin Kaplan (57*) and Daniel Smith (42*) put together an impressive and solid stand of 82 for the fifth wicket to drive Western Province to 240/4 at tea on the second day of the Four-Day Series final against the Lions at the Wanderers.
Western Province only lost one wicket, that of Kyle Verreynne (14) when he was trapped in front by Tshepo Moreki, but the Lions let themselves down with sloppy field.
Kaplan received a life on 10 when he was grassed by Josh Richards at gully off Codi Yusuf while Smith was shelled by Rickelton on three off Moreki's bowling.
WP has now gained a proper foothold in the game with a lead of 15 in better and brighter batting conditions as compared to day one when the lights were on.
29 February 14:17
LANDMARK UPDATE | 50 up for Gavin Kaplan
Gavin Kaplan has raised his second first-class 50, with the landmark coming off 87 balls with 10 fours. With Western Province's score at 225/4, they've levelled with the Lions, with the partnership between Kaplan (50*) and Daniel Smith (34*) now at 67.
29 February 13:43
DRINKS UPDATE | Kaplan holds firm for WP
Gavin Kaplan's unbeaten 43 as part of a 41-run stand for the fifth wicket with Daniel Smith (16*) has kept the Lions at bay, with the visitors currently sitting in 199/4 after 47 overs.
WP currently trail by 26 runs.
29 February 13:00
WICKET UPDATE | Moreki claims critical Verreynne wicket
Tshepo Moreki has claimed the crucial wicket of Kyle Verreynne, trapping him in front for 14 off 18 deliveries, with the wicket leaving Western Province at 158/4.
29 February 12:08
LUNCH UPDATE | Lions battle back as conditions ease in Four-Day Final
The Lions claimed three second morning wickets to hold back Western Province on the second day of the Four-Day Series final at the Wanderers.
WP went to the interval at 147/3 after 33 overs, with Gavin Kaplan (10*) and Kyle Verreynne (11*) the not out batters. Tshepo Moreki (2/26) collected the key wickets of Eddie Moore (45), who played a hook shot that wasn't there and Tony de Zorzi (51) who nicked off to Ryan Rickelton.
Delano Potgieter (1/36) claimed the other scalp of Yaseen Vallie (28), who chipped a catch to Josh Richards at square leg.
Western Province trail the Lions, who were bowled out for 225, by 78 runs.
29 February 11:51
WICKET UPDATE | De Zorzi claimed by Moreki
Tshepo Moreki has claimed the massive scalp of Tony de Zorzi (51), who edged a belter of a delivery to Ryan Rickelton, a dismissal that left Western Province at 132/3 after 30.3 overs, trailing by 93 runs.
29 February 11:39
LANDMARK UPDATE | 50 up for De Zorzi
Tony de Zorzi has raised his 16th first-class 50, this one coming off 63 balls as Western Province quietly whittle down the Lions' lead.
The deficit is now 96 as WP reach 129/2.
29 February 11:29
WICKET | Vallie falls
Delano Potgieter, who top-scored for the Lions, has picked up his team's second wicket, removing Yaseen Vallie (28), who chipped a catch to Josh Richards just behind square leg.
The wicket meant WP were 118/2.
29 February 11:11
DRINKS | WP whittling down deficit
At drinks, Western Province were 90/1 after 21, trailing the Lions by 135 runs, with Tony de Zorzi (32*) and Yaseen Vallie (11*) holding the fort.
29 February 10:48
WICKET | EDDIE MOORE GONE
Western Province finally took a wicket, breaking the 72-run opening stand between Eddie Moore (45) and Tony De Zorzi (25*), with the former attempting a hook shot off Tshepo Moreki, but only getting the ball on the back of the bat, with the ball bobbling to to Wiaan Mulder at second slip.
The wicket fell off the third ball of the 16th over
28 February 14:06
WICKETS!
After a 77-run stand between Wiaan Mulder and Delano Potgieter, Mihlali Mpongwana struck twice for Western Province.
Mpongwana breaks the partnership as Mulder drives to first slip and departs for a 41 off 98 balls (hitting five fours).
Bjorn Fortuin walked in and departed for a four-ball duck as he nicked Mpongwana behind.
Lions 112-7 after 42 overs
28 February 12:20
LUNCH
Dane Paterson tore through the Lions top-order as the hosts sit at 56-5 at lunch on the opening day of the 4-Day Series final against Western Province at the Wanderers.
After being sent to bat first, Paterson struck early thrice and rocked the Lions top-order. Paterson removed Joshua Richards (1), Zubayr Hamza (0) and Temba Bavuma (0) as the Lions sat reeling at 15-4.
Paterson returned to the WP line-up, with superb opening spell figures of 3 for 1 (five maidens) in his six overs, after representing the Proteas in their two-match Test series loss against New Zealand.
In-form Ryan Rickelton was stopped in his tracks and could only make nine off 37 balls before he was caught off the bowling of Mihlali Mpongwana.
Wiaan Mulder (16*) and Delano Potgieter (16*) will resume after lunch.
28 February 11:36
Dane Paterson has torn through the Lions top-order, dismissing Joshua Richards (1), Zubayr Hamza (0) and Temba Bavuma (0).
Lions are 21-4 after 17 overs
28 February 09:34
TOSS:
Western Province have won the toss and will bowl first against Lions in the Division 1 CSA 4-Day Final at Wanderers.
Teams:
Lions: Dominic Hendricks (captain), Joshua Richards, Zubayr Hamza, Temba Bavuma, Ryan Rickelton, Codi Yusuf, Delano Potgieter, Bjorn Fortuin, Malusi Siboto, Wiaan Mulder, Tshepo Moreki
Western Province: Kyle Verreynne (captain), Eddie Moore, Tony de Zorzi, Kyle Simmonds, Daniel Smith, Yaseen Vallie, Gavin Kaplan, Beuran Hendricks , Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Mihlali Mpongwana, Dane Paterson
