Boland trounce Free State by 10 wickets

Boland trounced Free State by 10 wickets in their Supersport Series clash in Paarl on Sunday thanks to eight wickets from right-arm seamer Brad Player.

The match was over within three days with Player returning match figures of eight for 37 in 33.5 overs. His second innings haul of five for 26 came off 27.5 overs including 18 maidens.

Free State resumed the third day on 184 for four in their second innings, still 44 runs short of requiring the hosts to bat again. Kosie Venter and his overnight partner Gerard Brophy took the score to 213 before Brophy was trapped leg before by Charl Langeveldt for 27.

Venter, who was at the crease for almost four-and-a-half hours, followed without any addition to the total when he mistimed a pull shot off new Warwickshire signing Neil Carter for 40.

With his wicket went any chance of a Free State fightback, although their fate was probably sealed as early as Saturday evening when Louis Wilkinson departed for 89. It was a stylish and fluid innings, but its end, coming as it did just before the close of play, was the worst possible way for the visitors to end the day.

By the time the rest of the batting order crumbled after the Venterdismissal the match was clearly over. Free State managed to surpass the Boland first innings total to avoid the embarrassment of an innings defeat, but their total of 249 only left Boland needing to score 22 to win.

They knocked-off the runs in six overs with Jonathan Trott not out on 14.

Boland earned 18 points for the win while Free State took two bowling bonus points for their efforts.

On Friday Boland won the toss and elected to bowl, which proved to be a wise decision by skipper Louis Koen. Right-arm seamer Charl Langeveldt took five for 19 and Player three for 11 that crippled the Free State innings as they slumped to 102 all out.

Boland's reply was severe, taking a 228-run first innings lead with total of 330. Pieter Barnard was inspired, scoring his ninth career century and sharing a record 171 second-wicket partnership with James Henderson (76). He was dismissed for 120 early on the second day but by then the damage was terminal for the Free Staters.

Free State were reeling at 52 for three in their second innings before Venter and Koen put on 112 for the fourth wicket that perhaps gave them a false glimmer of hope. In the end though, Free State will examine the flaws in their batting as they prepare for their next match, while Boland will try to build on this strong showing.