da dobrowin： NATAL relied on the talents on veterans Eldine Baptiste and Jonty Rhodes toemerge victors by 28 runs from their match against Western Province atKingsmead on Friday
da bet vitoria： Dennis Done17-Nov-2000NATAL relied on the talents on veterans Eldine Baptiste and Jonty Rhodes toemerge victors by 28 runs from their match against Western Province atKingsmead on Friday.The home side totalled 216-9 before restricting Province to 188 for nine.Neil Johnson, with 48, and Ashwell Prince, the match’s top-scorer with 76not out, were unable to pull it out of the fire for Province.Baptiste, bowling his best for Natal for some time, finished with theimpressive return of 9-3-17-3 and Rhodes added spectacular catches todismiss Johnson and Andrew Puttick to his solid 42 off 45 balls scored whenhis team needed it most.After a stuttering start to their innings, the Natal cause was given a newlease of life by a fifth-wicket stand of 53 off 52 balls between Rhodes andAshraf Mall.They took the score from 55 for four to 108 before Mall steered a widishdelivery from Graeme Smith into the safe hands of Herschelle Gibbs atbackward point. He made a classy 40 in facing 67 balls and hit fourboundaries in rendering fine support to the ever-keen Rhodes.Rhodes mistimed a delivery from Claude Henderson and hit a return catch tothe left-arm spinner.Province were earlier in command and with Roger Telemachus and CharlWilloughby making the early inroads they reduced Natal to 55 to four in the19th over.Rhodes and Mall did their bit to put that right, but then Goolam Bodi wasadjudged run out for 22 and it was 184 for seven. With no third umpire onduty the decision stood although television replays showed Bodi tobe clearly home.The almost forgotten man of the innings was Errol Stewart, who in asupportive role scored 45 not out off 57 balls.After reaching 51 without loss Province stumbled to 52 for three as Jon Kentand Baptiste, who bowled Graeme Smith for one and then trapped HD Ackermanin front with his next ball, rattled the visitors’ top order.Thereafter Johnson lost his momentum and Rhodes took the vital catches todismiss the Zimbabwean and Puttick before the total had reached 100.Half the side was out and the run rate had climbed to a staggering 8.3 perover. From there, only one team was going to win it – and they weren’twearing blue.
