Northerns edge past Boland in tight final

Northerns 240 for 4 (Dros 68) beat Boland 236 for 8 (Albertyn 58*, Mashimbyi 4-57) by 4 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary

Despite a quick-fire 58 from Wallace Albertyn, Boland fell by four runs to Northerns in the final of the SAA Provincial Cup at Paarl. Having slumped to 102 for 5, Warren Swan led the recovery for Boland with a 57-ball fifty to revive hopes of chasing down Northerns' 240. But Mandla Mashimbyi (4 for 57) dismissed Swan and although Albertyn swung lustily, 17 runs were needed from the final over which proved too great.

Northerns were powered to their total of 240 for 4 thanks to a triplet of half-centuries, with Gerald Dros top-scoring with 68. Dros took just 44 balls to bring up his fifty, which included four sixes and his innings acted as a perfect addition for Northerns' innings after Francois du Plessis (65) and Maurice Aronstam (59) launched an opening stand of 113. Ultimately though, it was the penetration of the Northerns' bowlers which stood out between the two teams, and Boland fell to their second consecutive narrow defeat in a final. Northerns now have the opportunity to do the double when they meet Western Province in the final of the SAA Provincial Challenge on Thursday April 6.