da bet sport： Eastern Province opener Carl Bradfield batted for the whole day atKingsmead on Monday to ensure their SuperSport Series Super Eightsmatch against Natal ended in a draw
Ken Borland14-Dec-1999Eastern Province opener Carl Bradfield batted for the whole day atKingsmead on Monday to ensure their SuperSport Series Super Eightsmatch against Natal ended in a draw.With Eastern Province behind by 196 runs on first innings, Bradfieldscored 154 not out off 323 balls as he spent seven-and-a-quarter hoursat the crease. His innings was not just one of stubborn defencethough, he struck the Natal bowlers for 19 fours as he scored allround the wicket and proved to be the main stumbling block for thehome side.Natal had entertained thoughts of breaking through when EasternProvince lost three wickets before lunch, but Bradfield, inpartnership with Mark Rushmere, took the visitors to safety.Rushmere, who played in South Africa’s first Test since isolation in1992, showed that, even at the age of 34, he remains a batsman ofgreat quality.In a ferocious onslaught after lunch, he went from 16 to 94 in just 80balls, his elegant innings, studded with 12 fours and two sixes,ending when he was run out by Dale Benkenstein.After Bradfield and Rushmere’s 155-run stand, the Eastern Provinceinnings subsided from 276 for three to 293 for six, but ShafiekAbrahams (20 not out) stayed with the left-handed opener to ensureNatal’s period of excitement was brief.Natal’s five frontline bowlers – Veenstra, Gilder, Baptiste, Pietersenand Kent – had little comfort from the conditions, the Kingsmead pitchin no way resembling the well-grassed strip of yore. Wickets werealways going to be very hard to come by as banging the ball in broughta subdued response from the pitch, which was about as lively as aplank of wood lying forgotten in the back garden, and what turn therewas, was also slow and untroubling for the batsmen.The damage done to the Eastern Province batting line-up was largelyself-inflicted. The main impression of left-arm paceman Gary Gilder’sbowling from this match is one of undisciplined line and length, buthe picked up the day’s first wicket without needing the lifelesspitch. A very bad slower ball surprised Mark Benfield (43) and theopener hit the full toss straight to short cover.James Bryant (1), who showed his worth in his first innings’ 62,sliced a drive straight back to bowler Kevin Pietersen, who then undidDave Callaghan (9) with a long-hop that was edged to wicketkeeperErrol Stewart.Rushmere’s run out was in the same category, while mention must alsobe made of Wayne Murray’s loose cut that saw him caught behind offEldine Baptiste for seven.Natal will travel to the Wanderers to take on Gauteng over the weekendin what will be one of the season’s key games. Benkenstein will leadNatal knowing that victory will see his team back in the pound seatsas far as reaching the SuperSport Series final is concerned, Gautengcurrently sharing second place with them on 47 points.Slipping up at the Wanderers will make reaching the final a murkyprospect, but at least another draw is unlikely on a pitch that hasproduced positive results on every occasion this season.Victories by visiting teams to the Wanderers are still consideredremarkable in South African first-class cricket, however, and Natalmay yet rue the 10 points that slipped through their hands againstEastern Province because their home pitch became progressively slowerand friendlier for batsmen. Hopefully things will change for theBoxing Day Test and Natal’s final Super Eights home game, againstNortherns in January.There is little doubt Natal coach Phil Russell will be having a littleword in the ear of his successor as groundsman, Wilson Ngobese, toperhaps make Kingsmead a little less of a batting haven.