da stake casino： A Loose Natal batting display saw the home side squander a greatchance to put themselves in a match-winning position on the second dayof their SuperSport Series cricket match against Boland at Kingsmeadon Friday
Ken Borland16-Oct-1999A Loose Natal batting display saw the home side squander a greatchance to put themselves in a match-winning position on the second dayof their SuperSport Series cricket match against Boland at Kingsmeadon Friday.After a brilliant opening stand of 88 between Mark Bruyns and DougWatson, Boland snapped up five wickets for 111 runs to leave Natalstill 107 runs short of their first innings score of 306 all out atthe close.Boland resumed their first innings yesterday morning on 215 for fiveand former Indian batsman Pravin Amre (71 not out) saw them to a totalthat was no more than adequate on a pitch offering the bowlers littleassistance. His gritty innings lasted over three hours and he alsostruck 11 sweet boundaries.Ross Veenstra and Lance Klusener, who was not at his best with theball, shared four of the wickets to fall in the morning session, whileShaun Pollock finally got reward for some fine bowling when he hadlast man Charl Willoughby caught by Jonty Rhodes, the all-rounder’sfigures of one for 54 off 35 overs showing the dominance he enjoyedover the batsmen.Natal got off to the perfect start when they batted after lunch withBruyns and Watson picking up where they left off last weekend in theiropening stand of 340 against North-West and showing that they both maypush for higher honours this year.Watson’s 44 was an absolute delight, the Zingari batsman despatchinganything wayward with contempt, but he came back down to earth on thestroke of tea as he drove spinner Justin Ontong straight toshort-cover. With such a good start and the pitch encouragingstrokeplay, Natal were justified in trying to play expansively, butinstead of shutting Boland out of the match, they had landedthemselves in a tricky situation by the close of play.Bruyns ran out Andrew Hudson (22) when he ran on a misfield at mid-offto leave Natal on 123 for two, but he more than made amends by goingon to his second successive century. The former Maritzburg Collegestar was watchful throughout but accumalated 16 boundaries as hereached his eighth first-class century and although he was castled byHenry Williams to end the day’s play, Bruyns could be more thansatisfied with his fine innings.Captain Dale Benkenstein lost interest after making just eight andskied an off-side catch off Ontong, while Jonty Rhodes (9) was furiouswith himself after a prod outside off led to his dismissal.After such a promising start, Bruyns and Watson scoring at 3.5 to theover, Natal will be most upset that they did not bring the Bolandattack to its knees and instead, at 199 for five, it will not besmooth sailing for the home side batsmen when they resume thismorning. Natal may have reason to be grateful they bat all the way to11, Ross Veenstra having scored a first-class century.