Drakes blows the Eagles' tail away

By Peter Martin

EAST LONDON -- Border squandered a great chance to stamp their authority on the opening day of their SuperSport match against the Free State Eagles at Buffalo Park when, after dismissing the visitors for 207, they lost four first innings wickets for only 58 runs by close of play yesterday.

Laden Gamiet, Steven Pope and Pieter Strydom all perished to rash shots outside the off stump, while Mark Bruyns was clean-bowled by Johan van der Wath, who finished the day with three wickets for 15 off 11 overs, after seven overs were lost to bad light.

Earlier in the day each team produced their own hero with bat and ball.

For Free State it was their 22-year-old number three batsman, Jonathan Beukes who scored his maiden first-class century, while West Indian professional Vasbert Drakes wrapped up the Free State innings after tea to claim five wickets for a paltry 25 runs in 16,2 overs.

It was a magnificent spell of bowling by Drakes who took four wickets for five runs in his final spell of 3,2 overs, using the old ball.

Beukes, who played a chanceless innings, smashed 20 boundaries and a six in an impressive innings taking 226 minutes overall off 179 balls.

After reaching his half-century he went on the attack, being particularly severe on veteran Piet Botha and newcomer Malibongwe Maketa, hitting Botha for four fours in succession in an over that cost 19 runs, then hooking Maketa over the square-leg boundary for six and crashing him through the covers for four.

At the other end off-spinner Geoff Love kept an end quiet, bowling 26 overs unchanged in a marathon spell lasting three hours 25 minutes, and he was treated with the utmost respect by all the batsmen, finishing with figures of 1/45.

At tea Free State were 187/6, and Drakes blew the Eagles' tail away within 40 minutes after the interval.

He had debutante Christo Ferris caught at point by Gamiet, Hylton Moreeng was trapped leg-before and Dewald Pretorius had his off-stump clipped after offering no shot.

Then Van der Wath was well caught by Maketa at mid-wicket while hooking the big West Indian.

Allan Donald, who is currently playing his 300th first-class match, was not out 0, the 130th time he has remained unbeaten in his long career.

Border's fielding was excellent with some outstanding catches taken by Bruyns, Maketa and Gamiet. Play starts at 9:30am today and entrance is free.

lS