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Gods smile on double-ton Pope
16/01/2005 19:46 - (SA)
East London - The Eagles, set a target of 294 runs off 53 overs at 5.5 to the over by the Warriors, were content to play out to a draw after two quick wickets had fallen on the last day of their SuperSport match in East London on Sunday.
At stumps the Eagles had scored 85 for four, with Morne van Wyk on 19 and Loots Bosman on 9.
The day's play was a personal triumph for man of the match, Warriors number three batsman Stephen Pope, who became the first franchise batsman ever to score two centuries in a match.
He carried his bat for 156 in the first innings on Friday but was run out on 113 in the second, and to be honest, that seemed the only way he would be dismissed on an unresponsive pitch that helped no bowler throughout the four days.
Pope also went to a personal milestone, reaching 5 000 runs in his career when on 13 in the second innings.
Two other players reached milestones. Warriors pace bowler, Brent Kops, and Eagles spinner, Jacob Malao, reached the 50-wicket mark in their careers.
Pope went on the attack from the first ball on Sunday and raced to his century off 156 balls with 16 fours. He found a willing partner in left-hand opener, Carl Bradfield, who scored his second half-century of the match.
The two added 158 for the second wicket in only 187 minutes (277 balls) and Pope just missed the rare feat of scoring a century before lunch, finishing on 106 not out at the interval after starting the day on eight.
After lunch there was just time for a hard-hit 33 from Warriors skipper Robin Peterson before the declaration came.
Tyron Henderson struck immediately, clean-bowling Davy Jacobs with his third ball, and two overs later he had his namesake, James Henderson, caught behind by Abongile Sodumo, who enjoyed a good game behind the stumps.
But after losing Ryan Bailey and Benji Hector, the Eagles put up the shutters and the game petered out to a tame draw.
Henderson finished with figures of 2/9 off nine overs.
- SAPA
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