Rory Kleinveldt hit new heights when he took nine Nottinghamshire wickets in his closing County Championship match.
Not only that, but he was Northants’ highest scorer with 43, batting at No 8 and helping his team to a precarious total of 194. Precarious, that is, until Kleinveldt took the new ball and ripped the head and heart out of Nottinghamshire’s lineup.
He bowled unchanged for 10 overs, but only made the breakthrough in his seventh. When he rested for the first time, he had 3-32; On his return, with Notts on 77-4 after 28 overs, he picked up his fourth just before the close of play.
Resuming on Wednesday where he had left off, he took a wicket with his second ball of the day and again bowled for another incredible 11.2 overs in a row, taking the remaining five wickets for 31 runs. His 9-65 were his best first-class figures in a career dating back to 2002.
Northants, third on the Division Two log, took a 43-run lead into their second innings.
It was a good day for Saffa bowlers on the County circuit. Kyle Abbott was given a standing ovation by Hampshire fans after taking 6-20 and forcing the newly crowned County Champions, Essex, to follow on at Southampton.
Hampshire, who were once again involved in a relegation battle, scored 254 in their first effort at the crease, and they were seriously discomfited by the off-spin of the Warriors’ Kolpakker Simon Harmer. He is likely to finish second on the County bowling list with 66 wickets so far. He took 3-47 in Hampshire’s first innings.
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