McKenzie century keeps Northerns on track

Neil McKenzie scored his second century in five weeks for the Northerns Titans, guiding his team to a first innings total of 306 for seven in their Supersport Series match against the Highveld Strikers at the Wanderers on Friday.

The 24-year-old rescued Northerns from a dismal start of 28 for two, scoring 123 runs of his own and starring in a crucial third-wicket partnership with Martin van Jaarsveld.

McKenzie's early-season form has been nothing short of brilliant. This performance comes on the back of his scores of 70 and 75 against the Griqua Diamonds at Supersport Park last week.

It is also his second century in five weeks following the one he scored against Western Province in their Standard Bank Cup game.

Northerns captain Gerald Dros won the toss and elected to bat first on Friday. But the Strikers' attack hardly had to break a sweat in claiming the first two wickets, with Jacques Rudolph dismissed for only three and Rudolph Steyn doing only slightly better before departing on a modest score of 22.

Van Jaarsveld brought some stability to the innings with his 59, laying the platform for McKenzie to turn a dismal innings into something decent by the end of the day. And it was largely at the expense of a mediocre bowling performance by the Strikers.

McKenzie entered the fray just under two hours before lunch, and together with Van Jaarsveld guided Northerns to 96 for two by the end of the first session. The duo put on 124 runs for the third wicket before Van Jaarsveld was caught behind off the bowling of Zander de Bruyn.

Northerns went into the tea break at 160 for three, with McKenzie on 70. In exactly the 10th over after the break, McKenzie unleashed his bat on the bowling of De Bruyn. McKenzie hit four boundaries in the over to bring up his century, coming in 247 minutes, off 188 balls and including 18 fours.

With Gerald Dros as his partner, the duo put on 99 runs for the fourth wicket, with the Strikers desperately trying to contain their opponents.

Walter Masimula eventually made the vital breakthrough for the Strikers when he had McKenzie caught at mid-on by Andre Seymore, with the batsman eventually making 123, scoring hitting fours in his 282 minutes at the crease.

But with this kind of form, McKenzie can surely count on building on his three Test appearances for South Africa.