Bakkes bowls Free State back in contention

Herman Bakkes bowled Free State back into contention on the second day of their match against the Highveld Strikers in Bloemfontein with a haul of six for 108.

That was the major piece of the puzzle that saw the visitors collapse from their overnight score of 229 for one to 368 all out midway through the second session.

By the close of the second day Free State had reached 177 for two - still 191 runs behind but certainly also still in the game.

All of Bakkes wickets fell in a spell of 11 overs in which he conceded 42 runs. The pitch offered little in the way of movement off the seam, and Bakkes relied on a lethal cocktail of pace, bounce and aggression.

The Strikers' day started badly when Andre Seymore was trapped in front by off-spinner Kosie Venter with the second ball of the morning without adding to his overnight score of 50.

Sven Koenig, 109 not out at stumps on Friday, could advance only as far as 116 before being caught behind off Bakkes.

The rest of the visitors' batting succumbed with little more than token fuss, and Venter supported Bakkes well in taking two for 63 off 22 overs.

Gerhardus Liebenberg and Andrew Gait put Free State's reply on the right road with an opening stand of 88. Liebenberg went on to score 67 in 134 minutes, off 101 balls and with nine fours.

Louis Wilkinson, who was 44 not out, and Wiaan Smit, on 28, have continued in similar vein in their unbroken partnership of 71.