Career best figures for Roe as Dragons fight back against Eagles

Garth Roe returned career best figures of seven for 47 as Free State lost the initiative on the first day of their SuperSport Series match against the North West Dragons at Goodyear Park.

At 183 for four and 251 for five, the Eagles looked capable of posting the kind of first innings score to dominate the match. But in the space of six Roe overs that all changed. The seamer got the breakthrough by having Gerard Brophy lbw for 33 to end a threatening 68-run partnership with Kosie Venter.

In the next over Roe followed up with the wickets of Venter (57) and Rasjeed Lewis for a duck to reduce the home side to 254 for seven. Four overs later he struck again to end any hopes of a wagging tail by dismissing Bakkes for a hard-hit 34 from 41 balls and, in his next over, he completed his afternoon rout by having Mpitsang caught for eight.

Roe had started the ball rolling in the morning session when he took the only wicket to fall. Immediately after his introduction as first change bowler he castled Andrew Gait, but that was to be Free State's only success before lunch.

Gerry Liebenberg steered his team to the break in the relatively healthy position of 80 for one. His 68-run partnership for the second wicket with Louis Wilkinson, was ended shortly after the resumption by Dreyer, and although Wiaan Smit and Liebenberg (60) fell to Dreyer and Roe respectively, there was no hint of Roe's coming dominance.

Instead Morne van Wyk (38) and Venter put on 56 for the fifth wicket and then Brophy joined Venter to suggest Free State were about to take a telling grip on the match. That was before Roe got hold of the ball though.