Northerns hand out comprehensive defeat to Eastern Province

After a storming start to their campaign, with five straight victories, Eastern Province suffered a second comprehensive defeat in succession when the Northerns Titans got home by six wickets with 15 deliveries in hand.

It was a superb unbroken partnership for the fifth wicket of 107 off just 101 balls between Northerns captain Gerald Dros (71) and young wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk (44), which got them home after they'd looked a trifle shaky on 89 for four in the 27th over following the dismissal of Martin van Jaarsveld for 36.

The asking rate had looked none too taxing after EP had posted just 196/8 in their 45 overs - even that wouldn't have been possible but for a stand of 92 for the sixth wicket between Mark Benfield and Murray Creed - but the visitors allowed it to climb above six to the over at one point, before the pair who were there at the end started getting stuck in. Dros, who faced 93 balls during his match-winning knock, hit three sixes, one less than Benfield had managed for EP.

After a nailbiting victory over the Highveld Strikers in a make-or-break match last week, the visitors built on the momentum established at home to cruise in at St George's Park and put themselves within striking distance of a semi-final spot. For EP, the semi-finals are also still in their thoughts, though they'll have to halt the recent slide to be certain of qualifying.

The man who really bore the brunt of the onslaught launched by the Northerns pair late on was highly-rated paceman Garnett Kruger, who eventually conceded 58 off just 7.3 overs, though he did grab the wickets of openers Rudi Steyn and Johan Myburgh.