De Klerk, Beaufort star on opposing sides at Buffalo Park

Former Grey High wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Beaufort’s first-class century on debut for the Garden Route Badgers was the big highlight of the opening day of their CSA Division 2 four-day match against the Eastern Cape Iinyathi at Buffalo Park on Thursday.

The 23-year-old, Beaufort notched up a quick 112 runs off 115 balls while Iinyathi's Jade de Klerk was the star with the ball. He had claimed figures of five for 84, as Iinyathi bowled Badgers all out for 308 runs.

It took the Garden Route Badgers’ top order two sessions and six overs to finally get a runoff left-armer De Klerk’s turners.

By the time Kelly Smuts hit De Klerk for a quick single in the 29th over of the first innings, the CSA Awards nominee for 2023 Division 2 four-day player of the season, had already done the damage.

He had Yaseen Vallie (24) caught at backward point by Thobile Hlatuka before the end of the first session and helped Iinyathi restrict the men from the Western Cape to 74/1 going to lunch.

He continued on his merry way at the start of the second session, as he dismissed the other dangerous opener, Kyle Jacobs, for 30, caught at long-off by Chad Classen.

In bright sunshine, Iinyathi captain Jason Niemand won the toss and elected to bowl first.

It was a decision he may have regretted early on as the Badgers reached 62/0 in 22 overs, with Vallie and Jacobs showing good form in their strike rotation before De Klerk claimed them as Iinyathi’s first two scalps of the day.

Smuts and George van Heerden reconstructed the Badgers’ innings with a fourth-wicket partnership of 29 runs after the loss of Jacobs in the second session.

But Van Heerden was trapped lbw by Chad Klassen for 20 runs.

With Smuts on 24 (39) and new batsman Beaufort yet to get off the mark, the two marshalled the Badgers to tea on 122/3.

They toyed with the Iinyathi bowling attack in the final session as the home side struggled for consistency in their bowling lines.

Despite coming to the crease with Smuts on the other end, Beaufort was the first to reach his half-century.

Smuts followed suit a few overs later but fell victim to the dangerous De Klerk for 58 runs after he miscued his shot to Marco Marais at long-off leaving the Badgers on 222/4 in the 64th over.

Two balls later, De Klerk clean-bowled Tyrese Karelse for a duck. Beaufort reached his maiden hundred with an hour till stumps, but a few balls later was trapped LBW by Nico Van Zyl.

Tladi Bokako quickly removed the Badgers' tail claiming the wickets Liyabona Malife(4), Thomas Kaber (22) and Khwezi Gumede (0).

Sintu Majeza was clean-bowled by Van Zyl for 22 ball duck. 

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