KwaZulu-Natal make it three out of three
KwaZulu-Natal defeated high-riding Easterns and consolidated their position at the top of Pool A with a third consecutive victory
Wisden Cricinfo staff
03-Nov-2003
KwaZulu-Natal defeated high-riding Easterns and consolidated their position at the top of Pool A with a third consecutive victory, putting together a polished team effort to win by an innings and 102 runs. Hundreds from Doug Watson and Dale Benkenstein, along with 98 from Lance Klusener, ensured that Easterns were always on the back foot. A career-best 6 for 43 from the young offspinner Imran Khan, voted Man of the Match, made life even more difficult for the Easterns batsmen, who were bowled out in their follow-on innings shortly before lunch on the final day.
In Paarl, Griqualand West made light work of Boland, winning by 100 runs. Benjamin Hector scored a hundred, Wendell Bossenger made 93, and a quick 70 from Shahid Afridi helped Griqualand to 475. Deon Kruis then took 10 for 119, his medium pace proving too good for Boland. Rashaad Magiet (91) and Con de Lange (89) did, however, offer some resistance.
Allan Donald showed that he is still a bowler to be respected when he helped Free State to a ten-wicket win against Eastern Province. His 5 for 95 in the first innings was overshadowed by an excellent 145 from Carl Bradfield, the Eastern Province captain. But after a second-innings collapse by Eastern Province, Morne van Wyk (106*) and Jonathan Beukes (88*) knocked off the 198 runs needed for victory.
At Newlands Western Province outplayed North West from day one with Neil Johnson and Andrew Puttick both scoring hundreds to guide them to 480 for 5 declared.
Meanwhile, Border produced the surprise of the round by defeating Northerns by six wickets. Steven Pope, Border's hero, scored an unbeaten 146 in their successful run-chase. For Northerns there was a light at the end of the tunnel though, with Alfonso Thomas putting together a good allround performance in scoring a fifty and taking 7 for 63.
KwaZulu-Natal beat Easterns by an innings and 102 runs. KwaZulu-Natal 495 for 6 dec (Watson 147, Benkenstein 112, Klusener 98, Kent 73); Easterns 215 (Toyana 72, Khan 6-43) and 178 (van den Berg 57, Koenig 53, McLean 4-41).
Griqualand West beat Boland by 110 runs. Griqualand West 475 (Hector 114, Bossenger 93*, Shahid Afridi 70, Mashimbyi 61, Smith 50, Groeneveld
5-112) and 131 for 5 dec; Boland 205 (Magiet 91, Kruis 5-46) and 291 (de Lange 89, Kruis 5-73).
Free State beat Eastern Province by 10 wickets.Eastern Province 331 (Bradfield 145, Donald 5-95) and 103; Free State 237 (Venter 61, Louw 4-45) and 198 for 0 (van Wyk 106*, Beukes 88*).
Western Province beat North West by 10 wickets. Western Province 480 for 5 dec (Johnson 135, Puttick 101, Duminy 80*, Bassage 69, Prince 50) and 16 for 0; North West 266 (Bula 60*) and 229 (Bailey 82, Henderson 4-61).
Border beat Northerns by 6 wickets. Northerns 197 (van Jaarsveld 63, Henderson 5-73) and 317 (Rudolph 64, Thomas 52); Border 230 (Strydom 53, Thomas 7/63) and 286 for 4 (Pope 146*).