Trailing the Griqua Diamonds by 159 runs on the first innings, Boland were 16 without loss at stumps on Wednesday, the second day of their three-day friendly at the Yorkshire Cricket Club ground, Galeshewe, Kimberley.
Griquas’ resuming their innings on 41/1 in reply to Boland’s first-day 262/8 declared, had to do without the batting services of opener Martyn Gidley who retired hurt (hip injury) before the start of play.
Benji Hector and especially Adrian McLaren set about a depleted Boland bowling attack with relish. When trapped leg-before by paceman Willem du Toit, McLaren had scored 60 off only 50 balls in 66 minutes (1×6, 12×4).
On a hot, windy, dusty day, the Bolanders had to do without the bowling services of Wallace Albertyn and Jacques van Wyk (side strains), skipper and left-arm spinner Con de Lange (shoulder injury) and Henry Williams, the acting captain not bowling himself.
The runs flowed and Griquas went to lunch on 184/3, to tea on 338/5 and were 420/9 scored off 98,5 overs when the declaration came.
Pieter Koortzen chipped in with 31, former Boland player Hector and skipper Wendell Bossenger both contributed 71 and then there was Mandla Mashimbyi’s spectacular, undefeated 133 scored off 160 balls.
Dropped twice well on in his innings, the former Northerns B player struck 16 fours and three sixes.
Late in the Griqua reply medium-pacer Wesley Euley picked up three wickets to finish with 4/45 while off-spinner Rashaad Magiet toiled away to take 3/73 in 22 overs.
In the Boland first innings total of 262/8 declared on Tuesday, Wesley Euley top-scored with 85 and Con de Lange made 77 not out.
Alan Kruger 2/14 and Mashimbyi 2/49 were Griquas’ most successful bowlers. — Sapa