Colin Ackermann, Wiaan Mulder and Simon Harmer capped off a standout week from South Africans on the English County Championship scene.
Ackermann and Mulder both hit maiden double centuries in a record-breaking Leicestershire total of 756-4 in a draw with Sussex on Thursday.
SA-born Dutch international Ackermann resumed on 167, and Proteas all-rounder Mulder on 129, on the final morning of the four-day match at Hove.
They proceeded to take their partnership to 477 before the declaration was made with Ackermann 277* and Mulder 235*. It is a new record partnership for the fifth wicket in the County Championship.
With this boundary, Colin Ackermann and Wiaan Mulder broke @leicsccc‘s all-time partnership record (for any wicket) ๐ฅ
The pair put on 477 runs for the fifth wicket! #LVCountyChamp pic.twitter.com/e7Ify7QNGo
โ LV= Insurance County Championship (@CountyChamp) July 14, 2022
Colin Ackermann – 277*
Wiaan Mulder – 235*There is a new record for Leicestershire’s biggest ever County Championship partnership, with Ackermann and Mulder putting on 477 for the fifth wicket against Sussex ๐คฏ#CountyCricket2022 pic.twitter.com/zRDDlJe3Fa
โ Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 14, 2022
Harmerย harvested a match haul of 13-156 as Essex thrashed Gloucestershire, coached by former Proteas assistant coach Dale Benkenstein, by nine wickets on Wednesday.
The Proteas off-spinner had put Essex on the front foot immediately with figures of 5-44 in the first innings, before a marathon spell in the second saw him pick up 8-112.
It was the fifth time that Harmer had taken eight wickets in an innings for Essex since joining the county in 2017ย and he also has two nine-wicket hauls in an innings.
His tally for the season is now 40 in seven matches.
Simon Harmer has taken 28 wickets in his last two first-class matches.
The South Africa spinner is on top of his game right now.#CountyCricket2022 pic.twitter.com/VdwiMroBxx
โ Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 13, 2022
Gloucestershire skipper Graeme van Buuren failed to inspire his men with the bat, scoring just 34 and 12.ย ย
In a 203-run victory for Northamptonshire against Kent, Ryan Rickelton struck nine fours in a first-innings effort of 55 from 95 balls, then upping the ante in the second with a commanding 133 (13 fours and a six) before he was out off the bowling of George Linde, who finished with match figures of 4-92.
Northants’ Ryan Rickelton paced himself beautifully for 133 against Kent, his second CC ton in as many matches ๐ฏ๐๐@NorthantsCCC #lvcountychamp #gm2022 #gmchroma #teamgm pic.twitter.com/mMwmpz9GJn
โ GM Cricket ๐ (@GMCricket) July 14, 2022
Leus de Plooy smashed 122* (14 fours) and 134 (15 fours) for Derbyshire in a nervy draw with Durham at Seat Unique Riverside, while speedster Kyle Abbott took 5-45 in the first innings and 1-49 in the second as Hampshire beat Warwickshire by eight wickets in Southampton.ย ย
Hashim Amla notched up 79 and 28 as Surrey beat Yorkshire by four wickets in Scarborough, while paceman Dane Paterson finished with 2-142, with Colin Ingram having managed just 34 and 33 as Nottinghamshire and Glamorgan played to a draw in Cardiff.
SA-born England international Keaton Jenningsโ mammoth 318 (28 fours and four sixes) was the fourth-highest individual score in Lancashire’s history, and the best since Neil Fairbrother made 366 against Surrey at The Oval in 1990, in a draw with Somerset in Southport.ย
Well Iโve witnessed some things at cricket before but never one of these. Keaton Jennings 300 not out for Lancs at Southport. A bit of history. pic.twitter.com/4xezOCSsEa
โ James Wilkinson (@jimwilkz) July 13, 2022
โI never thought I would get a first class 300.โ
A record breaking day for Keaton Jennings. #bbccricket pic.twitter.com/VdQHihJqVY
โ BBC Lancs Cricket (@BBCLancsCricket) July 13, 2022
Lancashire skipper Dane Vilas could only muster seven, but former Proteas all-rounder Roelof van der Merwe claimed 5-174 in the first innings and 2-27 in the second, to go with a whirlwind 55 runs off 69 balls that included six boundaries.