Tony de Zorzi Western Province's Tony de Zorzi celebrates his century at Newlands on Thursday. Photo: BackpagePix
Image: BackpagePix
Proteas Test opener Tony de Zorzi is warming up nicely for the ICC World Test Championship final at Lord’s later this year.
Fresh off scores of 46 and 78 not out against the Titans last week, De Zorzi followed it up with a fine 141 against Boland to power Western Province to 373/3 in their Four-Day Series clash at Newlands on Thursday.
It was the dreadlocked left-hander’s ninth first-class century, and third consecutive ton against neighbours Boland.
De Zorzi was in fine form from the outset as he took full advantage of a wayward opening spell by the Boland new-ball bowlers after WP captain Kyle Verreynne had won the toss and elected to bat.
The neighbours from up the N1 were certainly guilty of bowling both sides of the wicket, and were either too full or too short.
This allowed De Zorzi to find the boundary with ease, as he helped himself to eight boundaries within his first half-century off only 68 balls.
Boland were granted some relief when Glenton Stuurman wrapped Province opener Daniel Smith on the pads to dismiss the left-hander early on.
But the visitors had to wait a long time to celebrate their next success, as De Zorzi and Eddie Moore shared a brilliant 164-run second-wicket partnership.
After De Zorzi dominated the first session, it was Moore’s chance to take the attack to the Boland bowlers.
After surviving an early barrage of short deliveries with a strong leg-side field, Moore grew in confidence the longer he was at the crease.
He was prepared to use his feet against Aviwe Mgijima by bashing the off-spinner for three sixes down the ground.
Moore was equally adept in reverse-sweeping leg-spinner Shaun von Berg for a couple of boundaries.
However, Moore perished in this fashion when he attempted to reverse one too many times, as he could only manage an under-edge and was caught at slip by Mgijima for a well-played 75.
De Zorzi had reached three figures in the process, but only just survived “the nervous nineties” after Boland captain and wicket-keeper Clyde Reeves-Fortuin dropped a regulation chance off Stuurman when the opener was on 90.
De Zorzi certainly made the visitors pay for the missed chance as he struck a flurry of boundaries after reaching three figures as Province motored along to 247/2 when the players left the field at the tea interval.
Newlands has certainly been a happy hunting ground for De Zorzi in the past, with the left-hander still the only batter to score a triple century under Table Mountain’s watch.
He would therefore have been bitterly disappointed with his dismissal after the resumption of play when he cheaply chipped Von Berg to long-on.
Province had two new batters in David Bedingham and Verreynne at the crease, but instead of applying pressure, Boland allowed the Proteas stars to settle in against the dual spin of Von Berg and Mgijima.
The were content to bide their time during their unbroken partnership of 121 for the fourth wicket, with Bedingham (64 not out) and Verreynne (61 not out) both bringing up their half-centuries before the shadows lengthened and stumps were drawn.