Natal slip up after good start

A Loose Natal batting display saw the home side squander a great chance to put themselves in a match-winning position on the second day of their SuperSport Series cricket match against Boland at Kingsmead on Friday.

After a brilliant opening stand of 88 between Mark Bruyns and Doug Watson, Boland snapped up five wickets for 111 runs to leave Natal still 107 runs short of their first innings score of 306 all out at the close.

Boland resumed their first innings yesterday morning on 215 for five and former Indian batsman Pravin Amre (71 not out) saw them to a total that was no more than adequate on a pitch offering the bowlers little assistance. His gritty innings lasted over three hours and he also struck 11 sweet boundaries.

Ross Veenstra and Lance Klusener, who was not at his best with the ball, shared four of the wickets to fall in the morning session, while Shaun Pollock finally got reward for some fine bowling when he had last man Charl Willoughby caught by Jonty Rhodes, the all-rounder's figures of one for 54 off 35 overs showing the dominance he enjoyed over the batsmen.

Natal got off to the perfect start when they batted after lunch with Bruyns and Watson picking up where they left off last weekend in their opening stand of 340 against North-West and showing that they both may push for higher honours this year.

Watson's 44 was an absolute delight, the Zingari batsman despatching anything wayward with contempt, but he came back down to earth on the stroke of tea as he drove spinner Justin Ontong straight to short-cover. With such a good start and the pitch encouraging strokeplay, Natal were justified in trying to play expansively, but instead of shutting Boland out of the match, they had landed themselves in a tricky situation by the close of play.

Bruyns ran out Andrew Hudson (22) when he ran on a misfield at mid-off to leave Natal on 123 for two, but he more than made amends by going on to his second successive century. The former Maritzburg College star was watchful throughout but accumalated 16 boundaries as he reached his eighth first-class century and although he was castled by Henry Williams to end the day's play, Bruyns could be more than satisfied with his fine innings.

Captain Dale Benkenstein lost interest after making just eight and skied an off-side catch off Ontong, while Jonty Rhodes (9) was furious with himself after a prod outside off led to his dismissal.

After such a promising start, Bruyns and Watson scoring at 3.5 to the over, Natal will be most upset that they did not bring the Boland attack to its knees and instead, at 199 for five, it will not be smooth sailing for the home side batsmen when they resume this morning. Natal may have reason to be grateful they bat all the way to 11, Ross Veenstra having scored a first-class century.