Bruyns battles in vain

In East London, Mark Bruyns fought a lone battle with 123 for the Warriors as the Titans threatened to finish the game inside three days. With batsmen losing wickets at vital periods of the game, it was left to Bruyns to hold the Titans up for five-and-a-half hours.

Mark Boucher and Pieter Strydom looked promising, but both fell in the thirties and the Titans were left with an easy target of 86 runs. At close they had reached 17 without loss, and they should finish it off before lunch on day four.

It was the pace attack of Dale Steyn and Ethy Mbhalati, with four wickets each, and Albie Morkel, with two, that set the Titans up for the win. The Warriors, being bowled out for 273, offered little in defence as Steyn ended with nine wickets in the match.

Western Province Boland 206 and 205 for 5 (Kallis 68) lead Eagles 315 (Dippenaar 121, Boje 57, Willoughby 5-91, de Lange 3-68) by 96 runs.
Scorecard

In Cape Town, Boeta Dippenaar and Nicky Boje put on 118 runs as the Eagles took a first innings lead of 109 over Western Province Boland. A magnificent 121 from Dippenaar all but pencilled his name into the squad for India while Boje, another candidate for India, waded in with 57.

Charl Willoughby, taking 5 for 91 and Con de Lange, taking 3 for 68, made sure that the lead did not get out of hand.

In their second innings, WPBOL fared far better by scoring 205 for 5 at the close with Jacques Kallis in classic form as he struck 50 runs in boundaries out of a total of 68. An interesting day awaits the Newlands faithful with the scales still tilted in the Eagles' direction.

It is hard to believe that either the Lions or the Dolphins had any other intention than to play for a draw in this top-of-the-table clash. The weather did not play its part either with only 77, 70 and 86 overs being bowled in the three days.

Mercifully the Lions declared their innings closed at the overnight total of 361 for 8. The start of day three saw the Dolphins get off to a flyer, as Imraan Khan and Doug Watson put on 140 for the first wicket. Khan was first to go for 69, followed by Watson, brilliantly run out by McKenzie for 92.

A further 48 from Ahmed Amla left the Dolphins on 239 for 3 when once again play ended early. Day four, bar a miracle, will also see an early finish as this match is destined to peter out in to a dull draw.