Six for Kemp as EP fight back

Eastern Province ended the second day of their four-day Supersport Series match against Border on 154 for three in their second innings. Earlier Border had been bowled out for 231 on a St George's Park wicket that seemed to have no obvious demons.

Allrounder Justin Kemp was the hero of the day for the home side as he took six for 56 and was unbeaten on 61 at stumps in Eastern Province's second innings. With him at the close was opener Carl Bradfield who had 69.

Eastern Province are 100-runs ahead of Border with seven wickets in hand and two full days to be played.

The visitors took a 54-run first innings lead, but it was well short of what they should have got given the superb bowling of Makhaya Ntini on Friday.

Border resumed their first innings on 106 for three and promptly lost the wicket of Steven Pope in the first over of the day. He could only add one to his overnight score before Kemp trapped him leg before for 55.

Pieter Strydom moved from five to 12 before driving Kemp straight to Bradfield at mid-off. Wayne Wiblin, who shared a 27-run stand with Strydom, also holed-out to Bradfield off Dewald Senekal.

Border were in trouble at 137 for six, but a 74-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Laden Gamiet and Vasbert Drakes allowed the visitors to pass the Eastern Province first innings total and move into a slender lead.

Drakes was caught by Bradfield extra cover off slow left-arm Robin Peterson for 39 and then Gamiet pushed one to James Bryant at midwicket off Johan Botha for 37.

Liam Graham (0) became victim number five for Kemp and Geoff Love (15) was number six as the innings came to an abrupt end.

Eastern Province were soon in trouble in their second knock as both Graham Grace and James Bryant were back in the hut with the score on nine.

Grace (3) and Bryant (0) were both trapped leg before off Drakes in the same over. It completed a miserable batting match for Bryant who bagged a pair. Dave Callaghan could only score 12 before he became Ntini's seventh wicket of the match, which brought Kemp to the crease to join Bradfield.

The two plundered 120 unbeaten runs and look set to pile on the agony for Border when play resumes on Sunday.