Weather intervenes as Province look for upper hand

The unpredictable Cape weather intervened on day three of this highly competitive Supersport Series match to leave both sides wondering how to avoid a draw going into the final day.

When the umpires finally gave way to the elements as the red ball became hard to see under the floodlights, Western Province had reached 45-1 in their second innings, a lead of 104.

Western Province captain H.D Ackerman might be asking himself whether his batsman, Gary Kirsten and Jacques Kallis, should have stayed out there in a bid to really force a result from this game. But with Shaun Pollock and Eldine Baptiste steaming in from either end, it was hard to argue with the batsmen's decision.

Despite the intervention of the rain, there was still plenty to enjoy for the small crowd that straggled in to Newlands in the knowledge that the weatherman had predicted a day of intermittent showers. In particular, there were a series of showdowns between South African internationals, of which there are plenty in this match, as the competitive juices really started to flow.

Lance Klusener and Roger Telemachus, Pollock and Kallis and then Herschelle Gibbs and Klusener again - all took their turns to offer some verbal opinions on the other's ability - or lack of it. Klusener's message to Gibbs after getting him out caught at the wicket was particularly forthright, the opening batsman standing his ground to see the umpire send him back to the pavilion after a short delay.

The morning had seen Natal's lower order do well to take the team within sight of the Province's first innings total. All but Pollock got a start and young John Kent did better than that, finishing unbeaten on 74.

Kent is a promising all-rounder - he took three Province wickets earlier in the game - and his innings was full of sweet drives and neat shots punched off his legs.