The Supersport Super Six match between North West and Free State ended in a draw when bad light called an end to procedings at 5.30pm on the final day. North West were on the edge of defeat with only two wickets in hand and seven overs to face.
The light did not improve after the players left the field and play was called off at 6pm.
Free State declared their second innings closed on 337/6, leaving the home team a target of 256 for victory in 51 overs. North West’s Davey Jacobs set off at a good pace but his fellow batsmen could not stay with him. When Jacobs lost his wicket to Johan van der Wath for 47, the third wicket of the innings, the innings fell apart.
The following five wickets went for only 31 runs, with one of the more senior Free State players, off-spinner Kosie Venter, responsible for most of the damage. Garth Roe and Eugene Moleon fought a solid rear-guard action and were unbeaten on a 21-run partnership, stopping the rot and saving the match for North West.
In the Free Sate second innings Boeta Dippenaar scored an unbeaten 115 and Gerhardus Liebenberg added another 50 to his first class collection, scoring 72.
Davey Jacobs of North West was voted man of the match for his 164 in the North West first innings. – Sapa