da luck： Free State probably shaded the first day of their Supersport Series SuperEight encounter against Easterns at Willowmoore Park, although the home sidehad made some inroads into their batting order by the close
da betway： 01-Feb-2001Free State probably shaded the first day of their Supersport Series SuperEight encounter against Easterns at Willowmoore Park, although the home sidehad made some inroads into their batting order by the close.Visiting captain Gerard Brophy, who had made the decision to put Easterns inafter winning the toss, certainly had cause to feel that his choice had beenvindicated after the home side were knocked over for 224, with speedsterAllan Donald and off spinner Kosie Venter each grabbing three wickets.However, the hosts did hit back with two wickets in the 17 overs thatremained, with Gerhardus Liebenberg unbeaten on 22 and Wiaan Smit on 17 asEasterns reached 64 for two by the close.Early swing assisted the Free State bowlers as the pace trio of Donald,Victor Mpitsang and Dewald Pretorius each grabbed a wicket as Easterns werereduced to 37 for three. However, that brought Mike Rindel to the wicket andthe veteran left-hander took the game to the visitors with a swashbuckling69 off just 84 balls, including eight fours and a six.Rindel added 54 for the fourth wicket with Derek Crookes, but the home sidethen lost another three quick wickets to be 125 for six, before anotherleft-handed import, Ant Botha, and Albie Morkel combined to add aface-saving 69 for the seventh wicket.Even after Morkel (25) and Gareth Flusk (0) were run out in quicksuccession, there was still some resistance from Easterns, with Botha andAndre Nel adding 29 for the ninth wicket. Donald eventually knocked over Nel(10) and then had Botha caught at short leg by Rasheed Lewis for 59 to endthe innings.Morkel and Flusk grabbed the scalps of Andrew Gait (0) and Louis Wilkinson(17) respectively to keep the home side in it at the close.
