CENTURION (South Africa) - For those who believe in miracles, the rain dance and even the tooth fairy it is perhaps interesting to know that Northerns still have a theoretical chance of reaching the A Section final in a couple of weeks time.

Not all was gloom in the Titans camp last night when news came through that Western Province had beaten Griqualand West to join Guateng second on the SuperSport Series log with Northerns in joint fourth place with Eastern Province yet in with a slim chance.

Although Northerns coach Peter Kirsten and the skipper Mark Davis were fretting over lost opportunities and more than a couple of batting points which might have made the difference, the outing against Free State at Centurion and starting on Thursday is still of importance.

What we have is that Province, who comfortably drilled Griquas by 134 runs in Kimberley yesterday, need at least six points to make their position safe, when they meet current log leaders, Border at Newlands in their A Section game starting on the same day.

Should Craig Matthews side, which Northerns thrashed by nine wickets earlier in the season, succumb to Border and not collect enough bonus points, Northerns can squeeze through. But they need 18 points from the match against Free State, and that means four batting points and a bigger effort from a top-order missing Quentin Still but likely to have Rudolf Steyn back.

Rain can also play a role in Cape Town. The restriction of bonus points and forcing a draw would rub out Province's dream and enhance Northerns hopes. It was Claude Henderson, with five wickets, who won the game for Province with 15 overs of the match remaining, and as bad light started to close in.

Earlier in the day at the Wanderers Clive Eksteen managed his second five wicket haul in successive weekends as he bowled Gauteng to a convincing win over Eastern Province, the margin of 148 runs rubbing the visitors nose in a dusty Wanderers surface in what was their last match of the A Section.

For the final round Northerns have yet to decide on their side but former test batsman Steyn, seen as the missing link in the team's batting chain of command since his injury almost two months ago, should return to the Titans side for the game against Free State.

Chances are Steyn will return for the injured Quentin Still who won the man of the match award as Northerns brushed aside Natal inside three days in the SuperSport Series match for their fourth A Section victory of the season.

Kirsten viewed Still's finger injury as a ``serious worry to the make up of a well-balanced side'' yet he felt the chances of collecting at least four batting points in the final A Section league game was very much a possibility.

``We have battled to get beyond two points in the first innings this season,'' he said yesterday. ``But we are getting there. Hopefully we can do it against Free State. I always believe we have a good chance.''

Kirsten has viewed Steyn's absence as one of the problems in Northerns' inability to chase the third and then the fourth bonus point.

``We lost him at a time we needed him most as his form had become a critical factor in our game plan,'' Kirsten admitted.

``I think we have done pretty well to get as far as we have without his input,'' he agreed. ``We won the Standard Bank League and have managed two good four day victories without him. But had he been around I think it might have been a different story.

``He's been coming along nicely at the nets and the Bowl match against Natal B (at Kingsmead) would have helped him.''

While Kirsten confirmed the side for the Free State match would be announced later today there were a few bugs in the system which needed working out. He had not been happy with having to ``chop and change'' his captains during the season with Mark Davis handling the four day game and Gerald Dros the A Section side.

Now he needed Dros to go and get some runs and also Dirkie de Vos whose dismissal in the Northerns first innings of 231 on Saturday had been a ``big disappointment''. There is no doubt the coach was especially disappointed after De Vos had scored a maiden century against Eastern Province B at L C de Villiers Oval 10 days ago.