KwaZulu-Natal News Round-up

The powerhouse Gauteng side are the Standard Bank Cup champions and there has seldom been a contest between them and Natal that has not featured added pressure or needle. Their top-class batting line-up includes Adam Bacher, Ken Rutherford, Neil McKenzie, Derek Crookes and Nic Pothas, and, having lost just two of their seven League outings this season, they will come to Kingsmead full of confidence.

But after Natal's very good showing against Free State in the weekend SuperSport Series game, Ford was happy to report that ``we are making progress''.

``The Gauteng game will be a huge challenge though, and the younger players won't be able to hide from it. Without Jonty, Polly and Lance, they will need to take on more senior roles for us. But all we're looking for is that the guys are improving every time they get out on the field. After the Gauteng game they will know how much work still needs to be done.''

While Natal stars Jonty Rhodes, Shaun Pollock and Lance Klusener are flying to Johannesburg today to join the rest of the national squad, Gauteng will be arriving in Durban without Daryll Cullinan and David Terbrugge, also in the national squad.

Keith Storey's excellent effort in the Free State game should see him sharing the new ball with Gary Gilder in Wednesday's match, while Natal will look to Jon Kent, maker of a brilliant century, to bowl his medium-pacers with the same accuracy as he did in the visitors' second innings.

Left-arm fast bowler Shaun Adam is in the squad, but is not on target as often as Storey or Gilder, and his lack of skill with the bat means he will probably lose out as Natal try to play as many all-rounders as possible against the highly professional Gautengers.

Ford can at least sit easy when it comes to the Natal batting. Since the horror of losing to North-West in October things have improved dramatically and the batsmen have shaken off the uncertainty that dogged them early in the season. Doug Watson, Mark Bruyns, Andrew Hudson, Dale Benkenstein, Errol Stewart and Kent have all made runs in recent games and any one of them could play a match-winning innings Wednesday.

On paper, Gauteng would have to be favourites, but in limited-overs cricket anything can happen on the day and Natal will be desperate to ensure that the progress they made against Free State is built on Wednesday.

Natal squad: Doug Watson, Keith Forde, Mark Bruyns, Andrew Hudson, Dale Benkenstein (capt), Errol Stewart, Jon Kent, Wade Wingfield, Anthony Botha, Keith Storey, Gary Gilder, Robbie Macqueen, Shaun Adam. Play starts at 4 pm.

In a busy week for Natal cricket, Natal B will be depending on the likes of Anthony Botha, Wade Wingfield, Jannie Dreyer, Shaun Adam and Craig Tatton to get them on the winning trail when they cross swords with Easterns in a three-day UCB Bowl game starting on Friday in Benoni.

Adam, Dreyer and Jonathan Bastow could link up in a potent pace attack, while the three players of colour in the squad, Mehmood Badat, Ashraf Mall and Ahmed Amla, are all accomplished batsmen.

Natal B squad: Grant Rowley, Anthony Botha, Ashraf Mall, Wade Wingfield, Ahmed Amla, Mehmood Badat, Bruce Hughes (capt), Kevin Pieterson, Jannie Dreyer, Shaun Adam, Craig Tatton, Jonathan Bastow.

The KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union, East Coast Radio and Edusport Travel are offering a Kingsmead spectator the chance to attend the World Cup match between South Africa and England at The Oval in London on Saturday, May 22. The prize includes three nights accommodation in London at a three-star hotel, two return air tickets as well as entry to the match.

To stand in line to win this fantastic prize all you have to do is attend any one of the day/night matches at Kingsmead between Wednesday's game against Gauteng and the February 10 fixture against Northerns. Also included are the one-day international between South Africa and the West Indies on January 27 and Natal's game against Western Province on January 31.

Two lucky ticket draws will take place at each one of these matches. Each winner will then qualify for the finals that will take place at the match between the KZN Dolphins and Northern Titans on February 10.

A hit-the-stumps competition during the dinner break will decide the winner of the grand prize.