Final-ly, Dolphins to clash withTitans

To the relief of everyone concerned - except perhaps the Eastern Province Jumbos - KwaZulu-Natal cruised into the Standard Bank Cup final with a seven-wicket victory in their rain-affected, extended semifinal at Kingsmead on Wednesday.

Despite the loss of 90 minutes play in midafternoon as drizzle fell, Natal were able to track down a revised target of 165 in some comfort in an innings shortened to a maximum of 33 overs. EP, earlier, had struggled to 210 all out as they failed to bat out their 45 overs.

The Natalians, who had a dismal first-class season, failing to qualify for the Super 8 stage, will meet Northerns Titans in the final at Kingsmead on Wednesday.

Natal were set on their way by an 85-run opening partnership between Doug Watson and Ashraf Mall that all but put paid to the possibility of a Jumbos victory. The conditions undoubtedly favoured the home team with EP having to contend with a soggy ball and slippery run ups - Nantie Hayward bowled seven wides in his first over before the rain break, and then had Mall dropped at slip with his first ball after the interruption - but in the end the visitors were well beaten on the day.

Mall had his life on 29 and went on to make 40 before he went tamely, steering Hayward straight down to Garnett Kruger at third man, but Gulam Bodi then produced a run-a-ball 32 to keep Natal going and with Watson standing firm for his fifth 50 of the competition, the Dolphins were seldom in trouble.

Watson eventually made 56 to make him the leading run-scorer in the competition this summer and with Lance Klusener heaving it about as late afternoon sun finally broke through the clouds Natal got home in the penultimate over of the game.

The EP innings began slowly, picked up in the middle as Dave Callaghan and Mark Benfield fashion half-centuries, and then collapsed at the end with the last five wickets falling for the addition of only eight runs.

Natal, it must be said, bowled with far greater intelligence and control than had been the case on Sunday when EP stormed to 253 for two in 41.2 overs before the rain washed things out.

Left-arm seamer Gary Gilder was brought into the Natal team for his first run in this extended semi and justified his selection inside the first eight overs by nipping out both EP openers, including Robin Peterson whose spirited hitting on Sunday seemed at one stage to have won the Jumbos a place in the final.

There were relatively minor contributions from James Bryant (21) and Justin Kemp (27) before Callaghan came in to make a thoughtful 63 and Benfield crunched out 51 off 43 balls.

But both managed to get out just when EP needed to push on. Benfield holed out to deep square leg off Bodi, but, more crucially, Shaun Pollock ran Callaghan out with a direct hit in the 41st over to prompt the lower order collapse. It was, perhaps, the key moment in the match. Had Callaghan stayed through until the end, EP might have totalled around 240, but instead they contrived to get themselves out with eight balls still unbowled.

From that moment on, the visitors either had to bowl brilliantly or look to the heavens for assistance. Neither eventuality was forthcoming.