Bradfield helps EP draw with Natal
Eastern Province opener Carl Bradfield batted for the whole day at Kingsmead on Monday to ensure their SuperSport Series Super Eights match against Natal ended in a draw
Ken Borland
14-Dec-1999
Eastern Province opener Carl Bradfield batted for the whole day at
Kingsmead on Monday to ensure their SuperSport Series Super Eights
match against Natal ended in a draw.
With Eastern Province behind by 196 runs on first innings, Bradfield
scored 154 not out off 323 balls as he spent seven-and-a-quarter hours
at the crease. His innings was not just one of stubborn defence
though, he struck the Natal bowlers for 19 fours as he scored all
round the wicket and proved to be the main stumbling block for the
home side.
Natal had entertained thoughts of breaking through when Eastern
Province lost three wickets before lunch, but Bradfield, in
partnership with Mark Rushmere, took the visitors to safety.
Rushmere, who played in South Africa's first Test since isolation in
1992, showed that, even at the age of 34, he remains a batsman of
great quality.
In a ferocious onslaught after lunch, he went from 16 to 94 in just 80
balls, his elegant innings, studded with 12 fours and two sixes,
ending when he was run out by Dale Benkenstein.
After Bradfield and Rushmere's 155-run stand, the Eastern Province
innings subsided from 276 for three to 293 for six, but Shafiek
Abrahams (20 not out) stayed with the left-handed opener to ensure
Natal's period of excitement was brief.
Natal's five frontline bowlers - Veenstra, Gilder, Baptiste, Pietersen
and Kent - had little comfort from the conditions, the Kingsmead pitch
in no way resembling the well-grassed strip of yore. Wickets were
always going to be very hard to come by as banging the ball in brought
a subdued response from the pitch, which was about as lively as a
plank of wood lying forgotten in the back garden, and what turn there
was, was also slow and untroubling for the batsmen.
The damage done to the Eastern Province batting line-up was largely
self-inflicted. The main impression of left-arm paceman Gary Gilder's
bowling from this match is one of undisciplined line and length, but
he picked up the day's first wicket without needing the lifeless
pitch. A very bad slower ball surprised Mark Benfield (43) and the
opener hit the full toss straight to short cover.
James Bryant (1), who showed his worth in his first innings' 62,
sliced a drive straight back to bowler Kevin Pietersen, who then undid
Dave Callaghan (9) with a long-hop that was edged to wicketkeeper
Errol Stewart.
Rushmere's run out was in the same category, while mention must also
be made of Wayne Murray's loose cut that saw him caught behind off
Eldine Baptiste for seven.
Natal will travel to the Wanderers to take on Gauteng over the weekend
in what will be one of the season's key games. Benkenstein will lead
Natal knowing that victory will see his team back in the pound seats
as far as reaching the SuperSport Series final is concerned, Gauteng
currently sharing second place with them on 47 points.
Slipping up at the Wanderers will make reaching the final a murky
prospect, but at least another draw is unlikely on a pitch that has
produced positive results on every occasion this season.
Victories by visiting teams to the Wanderers are still considered
remarkable in South African first-class cricket, however, and Natal
may yet rue the 10 points that slipped through their hands against
Eastern Province because their home pitch became progressively slower
and friendlier for batsmen. Hopefully things will change for the
Boxing Day Test and Natal's final Super Eights home game, against
Northerns in January.
There is little doubt Natal coach Phil Russell will be having a little
word in the ear of his successor as groundsman, Wilson Ngobese, to
perhaps make Kingsmead a little less of a batting haven.