Province strike late to seize initiative

Western Province weathered a 140-run assault for the fourth wicket by Easterns' Mike Rindel and Derek Crookes to take the upper hand by the close of day two of this Supersport Series game at Newlands on Saturday.

After seeing his bowlers disappear to all parts of the ground for much of the day, Province captain HD Ackerman turned again to his deputy Allan Dawson who promptly wrapped up the innings as Easterns lost their last seven wickets for just 31 runs.

A beautifully controlled spell of swing bowling began when Dawson had Rindel adjudged leg-before for 91, and he was well backed up by left-arm spinner Paul Adams who chimed in with three wickets of his own as the pitch again showed it was offering a substantial amount of turn.

Before the intervention of Dawson, it looked every inch as though Easterns were going to have little difficulty in mounting a respectable reply to the Western Province first innings total. But after the man who runs a gardening business had sheared off the Easterns tail with his five wickets, the home side went into their second innings with a 104 run lead.

Province's day was slightly soured towards the close when opener Graeme Smith was well caught at forward short-leg by Ernest Mokoenenyane off the bowling of Andre Nel. At stumps Province had reached 14 for one in their second innings, a lead of 118 runs.

19 year-old Andrew Puttick proved just as obdurate in his resistance on day two as he had been for almost the entire first day of the match.

Resuming on 120 - his maiden first-class century in just his third match - the young left-hander finished unbeaten on a flawless 153 when captain HD Ackerman declared the innings closed on 332 for eight. Puttick might just have been a little disappointed - so well was he playing that a score in excess of 200 was by no means out of the question.

The meagre crowd was also entertained by another virtuoso innings by Adams, the spinner reaching 24 with his customary concoction of some of cricket's more curious shots.