Free State go back to the top of Standard Bank Cup group

In Bloemfontein Free State, thanks to an undefeated 106 from Jonathan Beukes, has moved to the top of Pool B after the completion of round three of the Standard Bank Cup with another convincing win, this time against Boland.

Boland scoring 199/7 in the 45 overs can thank Vinod Kambli (66) and Con de Lange (56) for keeping them in the game with a 111 run fifth wicket partnership.

With Beukes batting through the Free State innings for his 106 off 128 balls including 14 boundaries the hosts reached the target with 28 balls to spare. The win takes Free State above Western Province in Pool B.

In the other Pool B game played in Port Elizabeth Eastern Province made very short work of Namibia.

Thanks to a 59 not out from Justin Kemp, coming in at number seven, the Jumbos struggle to 189/7 against some fine bowling from Bjorn Kotze (3/22) and Lennie Louw 2/18. Had it not been for 37 runs coming off the last three overs the hosts just might have been humiliated.

Once again the Namibian batting let them down. Having done so well in the field they failed miserably against the bowling of Robin Peterson to be bowled out for 96 in 35.4 overs. Peterson taking the man-of-the-match award with his 6/16 in nine overs.

At Centurion, Northerns went to their third successive defeat going down by 29 runs to Border.

Batting first Border Bears recovered from two wickets down with one run on the board to post a healthy 240/9, thanks to a 98 from man-of-the-match Mark Boucher and 46 from Burton de Wett.

Northern Titans looked set for their first wicket after Neil McKenzie (50) and Martin van Jaarsveld (52) had batted the hosts into a strong position. Losing track of the run-rate put the remaining batsmen under enough pressure for Monde Zondeki (3/44) and Makhaya Ntini (4/31) to wrap up the innings bowling Northerns out for 211