GRIQUAS TAKE CONTROL AS STRIKERS STUMBLE

Another quality batting performance and an equally impressive day in the field enabled the Griqualand West Diamonds to claim a distinct advantage on the second day of their four-day Supersport Series match against the Highveld Strikers at the Wanderers on Saturday.

Two superb partnerships enabled Griquas to declare their first innings on 427 for the loss of four wickets, and they then drove home the advantage to leave the Strikers reeling at 75 for four when the covers were pulled on.

Griquas resumed on 243 without loss, with Mickey Arthur on 155 and Martin Gidley on 85.

The duo continued to build on their record first-wicket partnership, which eventually ended at 254 to mark the highest first-wicket partnership ever put together at the Wanderers.

The Strikers then launched a mild counter through some improved bowling. The result was that Griquas lost three wickets in five overs, placing them on the tenuous total of 254-3.

Arthur was clean bowled by Strikers paceman David Terbrugge, with the Griquas batsman dismissed for a superb 165, eclipsing his previous first class best of 148.

Terbrugge's third spell was without a doubt the best of the Strikers' bowling, with him taking 1-9 in his nine overs.

Ottis Gibson took the other crucial wicket, of Gidley, who left on 86 after being trapped leg before wicket.

Then came the slight collapse of Grant Elliott departing on 13 runs and Willie Dry going for a duck.

But the bowlers' dominance was short-lived.

Pieter Koortzen's 82 not out and Wendell Bossenger's 72 not out made for a fifth wicket partnership of 148, which carried Griquas through to their declaration.

The Strikers made an inauspicious start to their first innings when opener Adam Bacher was dismissed for six runs in the seventh over.

Andre Seymore went three overs later for a duck, with the Strikers in serious trouble at 20-2.

Sven Koenig and Zander de Bruyn stabilised the innings somewhat with a 52-run partnership for the third wicket. But their stand ended when De Bruyn was dismissed on 26 after being caught by Arthur at first slip off the bowling of Craig Copeland.

Copeland struck again three overs later when he had Geoffrey Toyana caught behind for only one run, with the home team then wisely taking the option of bad light after 33 overs.

Koenig (36) and Nic Pothas (0) will resume the challenge on Sunday.