The KwaZulu-Natal fielders must have felt the heat more than normal yesterday against Eastern Province in their Super Eights match because their labours under a blazing sun ultimately failed to reap any reward beyond the seven bonus points they had already gained.

They are also feeling the heat in other ways. Yesterday's frustrating draw at Kingsmead allowed Gauteng to draw level with the Dolphins on 47 points, 11 shy of leaders Border. This makes Friday's four-day match in Johannesburg of the greatest importance - and it is a clash where KwaZulu-Natal will be without all three of their internationals while Gauteng have been given permission to play their ace batsman Daryll Cullinan.

Western Province will also be allowed to play their internationals, Gary Kirsten, Paul Adams and Herschelle Gibbs, this weekend.

Why the differential treatment? "A heck of a lot of cricket is being played and we don't want to exhaust those guys, particularly the bowlers," said national coach Graham Ford.

"We haven't expressly ordered players to play or not to play, but

we've looked at each individual and worked out a programme that allows them to pace themselves properly through a very tough summer schedule. For example, Daryll is playing the four-dayers but not the limited-overs matches because he feels that's the best way for him. "Obviously we're going to be stricter about the bowlers because of all the work they have to do."

Sound logic, from a national point of view, but it still leaves the Dolphins with a serious lack of penetration in their attack which was exposed yesterday on a featherbed pitch that lacked the pace, if not the bounce, of Kingsmead pitches of old.

Given no real choice, the KwaZulu-Natal selectors yesterday retained the team that played against Eastern Province, with left-arm spinner Craig Tatton being added for insurance.

Aside from the real and the competitive heat, the Dolphins are also beginning to feel the effects of a programme this month that is forcing them to play 15 days of high-pressure cricket out of a possible 31, comprising three four-dayers and three one-dayers.

Following their exertions this week, the Dolphins barely have time to draw breath before they take on Griqualand West in a Standard Bank Cup match at Kingsmead tomorrow.

For that game, the selectors have picked a 13-man squad which includes all the international players, including, of course, test hero Lance Klusener whose magnificent 174 in Port Elizabeth will surely be seen in the course of time as one of the great test match innings.

After their comprehensive defeat against Boland in Paarl last Wednesday, the Dolphins will surely welcome back their three stars against a Griquas team that will be captained by Natal "old boy" Pat Symcox. And don't forget, despite their poor performances in first-class cricket this summer, Griquas are the Standard Bank Cup holders and they're not about to relinquish their hold on the trophy without a fight.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins will look back on yesterday's efforts with a sense of what might have been.

"I approached the day with a real hope of winning," said a tired skipper Dale Benkenstein yesterday. "But our fielding wasn't too sharp and we missed not only chances but also opportunities to put the pressure on them.If we're looking for a way to really take a step up, it's in our fielding discipline which becomes particularly important when the pitch is flat, as it was yesterday."

The match was saved by 24-year-old Eastern Province opener Carl Bradfield who laboured mightily for seven and a half hours for his undefeated 154 which included 19 fours. It was his first century of the season and it couldn't have come at a better time for his team.

Resuming on 50-0, needing to score 196 to make the Dolphins bat again, Man-of-the-Match Bradfield took his team to safety (342-6 in 110 overs) on a pitch that was the batsman's faithful servant.

He was given great assistance by skipper Mark Rushmere who played with great fluency for his 94 in 120 balls, including 12 fours and two sixes, before he was run out by his opposite number Benkenstein trying to pinch a single.

Eastern Province coach Adrian Birrell said it had been a good contest that had been slightly marred by rain and bad light (57 overs were lost to the inclement weather). "I though the pitch was a good one, like one of those wickets the Australian test cricketers are brought up on. It may not have deteriorated quite enough, but it's the sort of track that ultimately breeds good cricketers," he said.

© CricInfo