OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Friday 6.30pm.
ENGLAND’s hopes of making further inroads into the Combined Northerns/Gauteng batting order was halted by bad light at Centurion Park on Friday.
Replying to England’s 303, after most of the morning session had been washed out by rain, the Combined XI reached 85 for three when the umpires called play off with a further 16 overs remaining.
Dangerous stroke-maker Neil McKenzie finished unbeaten on 56 having hit 10 boundaries while highly-rated youngster Martin van Jaarsveld had progressed to five.
Darren Gough had earlier given England a flying start by trapping opener Sven Koenig leg before with the sixth ball of the innings, while Andrew Caddick had Test opener Adam Bacher caught behind for four.
All-rounder Gavin Hamilton then trapped the threatening Daryll Cullinan, who averages 90 in first-class cricket this season, leg before for 11.
Resuming on 238 for six, England took their total past 300 after battling contributions from Hamilton (16) and Andrew Flintoff (26) while impressive seamer David Terbrugge finished with four for 67. The Guardian