Western Province and Griqualand West to meet in the Standard Bank Cup Final

Western Province and Griqualand West will make their way to Newlands on 15 January to contest the Standard Bank Cup limited overs final after winning their respective semi-finals against Border and Boland.

In East London the Border Bears made the perfect start, after losing the toss, when they had Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs back in the pavilion inside three overs. Gibbs giving Makhaya Ntini a return catch without scoring and Smith mistiming a pull to midwicket off Monde Zondeki for three.

Jacques Kallis and Gary Kirsten, on a difficult pitch, set about the bowling bringing up the 50 partnership in 81 balls and 56 minutes. Increasing the run rate the 100 came in 144 balls and 102 minutes, while the 150 appeared in 190 balls and 128 minutes.

Kallis, having accepted a live from Mark Boucher standing up to Liam Graham when on 24, went on make 88 with Gary Kirsten getting another brilliant 103. Their partnership of 187, in nearly 37 overs, had brought Western Province back into the game.

In the chase for runs a collapse followed with Western Province finishing on 228/7 after being 203/2 with four overs remaining. Only Kirsten and Kallis able to get into double figures.

The wickets were shared with Zondeki ending with 2/37.

Border made an even worse start than Western Province did. Five wickets down with only 35 runs on the scoreboard signalled their doom. Burton de Wett (13), Mark Bruyns (0), Stephen Pope (9), Mark Boucher (2) and Pieter Strydom (0) all failed as Charl Willoughby and Kallis took two wickets each.

Tyron Henderson (39) and Craig Sugden put on 49 for the sixth wicket before Sugden and Laden Gamiet brought Border right back into the game putting on 64 runs for the seventh wicket.

Once Sugden was out for a well played 50 in 63 balls and 92 minutes, Gamiet (33) and Graham (32*) fought hard but with the overs running out Border was bowled out for 205, 23 runs short.

Kallis took the man-of-the-match award after his 88 and three wickets.

In Paarl, Griqualand West decided to bat first and almost immediately was in trouble with Loots Bosman dropped off the first ball of the innings by Con de Lange fielding at first slip from the bowling of Henry Williams.

The drop turned out to be expensive for the home team with Bosman going to score at better than a run a ball, going to his 50 in 43 balls including six fours and two sixes.

Bosman went to 70 before he was run out with Griqualand West losing their first wicket on 125.

Having just gone to his 50 in 81 balls Gidley had a big swing at de Lange only to succeed in lofting it to a delighted Williams at backward square leg taking a good catch with the visitors now two down for 140 in the 27th over.

Building on the foundation that had been laid, Griqualand West found them in a very strong position at 243/6 when the 45 overs were completed.

Pieter Koortzen (29), Brett Tucker (20) and Johann Louw (27) all contributed to the winning score.

Charl Langeveldt with 2/36 was the leading Boland wicket taker.

Boland, thanks to an ever-improving Chad Baxter (85) and veteran Steve Palframan (30), managed to cling onto a hope of winning, but with no other batsman able to get into double figures their hopes of reaching the final died a slow death, losing by 66 runs, after being bowled out for 178.

Griqualand West had pulled off another match winning performance with the bowlers all sharing in the wickets. The only negative for the men from Kimberley was giving away 31 extras, something they will have to improve on before meeting Western Province in the final at Newlands.