A century by Vaughn van Jaarsveld and five wickets by Keshav Maharaj ensured the Dolphins were close to victory after day three of their Sunfoil Series match against the Warriors in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
The pair outshone Simon Harmer, who ended with 12 wickets in the match after a second-innings six-for, as the hosts were left facing a difficult final day at St George’s Park.
Van Jaarsveld was the main man with the bat, completing his 18th career century on his way to 110 (180 balls, 17 fours, 1 six) to set up a 286 victory target.
The Durbanites had begun the third morning with a lead of 149 at 208/3 and Sibonelo Makhanya (68 off 114 balls, 10 fours, 2 sixes) helped put on 129 for the fourth wicket first up to set the tone for the day
Dane Vilas (20) then helped Van Jaarsveld add another 62, before the Dolphins lost their way in the face of the excellent Harmer, who ended with six for 101 to go with his first-innings six for 47 – his 17th and 18th five-wicket hauls respectively.
The away side were eventually dismissed for 344 in 97.2 overs to leave the Warriors with a difficult chase.
Openers Matthew Breetzke and Eddie Moore both hit 24s to give them a decent start, before 63 (90 balls, 9 fours) by stand-in captain Colin Ackermann put them in a strong position at 142/2.
But Standard Bank Proteas skipper Maharaj, also temporarily leading his side, ran through the middle-order to leave the Warriors in tatters at 165/6.
He eventually reached the close with figures of five for 52, his 19th career five-for, leaving the Dolphins four wickets away from victory.
Clyde Fortuin and Harmer (both four) were the men left to try and help the home side (172/6) achieve the outstanding 114 needed for victory. - African News Agency (ANA)
