Warriors' Mario Olivier takes ten wickets in an innings

Mario Olivier in full flight © Keith Lane

Mario Olivier, the Warriors right-arm seam bowler, dismissed all ten Eagles batsmen to become only the third South African to do so at first-class level. "I can't describe my feelings, but I'm on cloud nine," Olivier told Super Sport after claiming figures of 10 for 65 in the SuperSport series in Bloemfontein on Saturday (December 1).

The last South African to perform the feat was Western Province's Stephen Jeffries, who had figures of 10 for 59 against Free State in 1987-88.

Olivier, 25, was given a break after taking eight wickets in an uninterrupted 12-over spell, and was hoping that none of the other bowlers took the remaining wickets while he was waiting to be brought back by captain Zander de Bruyn.

"Zander knew I wanted to bowl to get the ten," Olivier said. "He is the captain and I respect his decisions. But he did say it was my day and I would bowl again after lunch. It was probably not a nice thing to do but I prayed that no one else would take a wicket." On his return, Olivier dismissed Boeta Dippenaar and then had Victor Mpitsang caught behind to reach the landmark as the Eagles were bowled out for 300.

Olivier's efforts were in vain, though, as the Eagles dismissed the Warriors for 215 in their second innings and knocked off the 24 runs required, to go to the top of the leader board in the SuperSport series.