Border earn lead against Easterns

Border finished another wet day's play at Buffalo Park with a 96-run lead after bowling Easterns out for 212 in their Supersport Series match on Sunday. A full day's play was lost to the rain on Saturday, with not a single ball bowled.

Easterns resumed on a total of 40 for four, chasing Border's 244 all out. The visitors' top-order crumbled quickly in the face of a tremendous onslaught from Border pace man, Vasbert Drakes.

Drakes finished the day with figures of 4-48, while Geoff Love took 3-63. But Mike Rindell stepped up to the crease and fired a quick 64 off only 90 balls to add some respectability to the Easterns innings. Rindell smashed 12 fours as he spearheaded the fight back.

Pierre de Bruyn, who has been in fine form with the bat for his side this season, added a superb 53 runs himself, coming off 179 balls and including four fours. Together, the duo put on a valuable 92 runs for the seventh wicket before being bowled out just before tea.

Border saw out the final session on 64 for two, with Kenny Benjamin claiming both the wickets of Dumisa Makalima (one run), and Stephen Pope (four runs), earning him figures of 2-28 when bad light finally forced play to be called off early.