The KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins and Western Province each took a step closer to a meeting in the Standard Bank Cup final with victories in their first leg semifinal ties on Wednesday night. The Dolphins won on a count-out against Eastern Province in a rain-shortened match at St George's Park while WP beat the North West Dragons by three wickets in Potchefstroom.

The Dolphins, without Nixon McLean and with Jon Kent unable to complete his third over, employed nine bowlers in restricting EP to 207 for nine in their 45 overs. Umar Abrahams made 53 after a slow start with Robin Peterson and James Bryant each contributing 43.

Doug Watson and Gulam Bodi gave the Dolphins a good start with a 90-run partnership for the first wicket before Watson, last season's man of the series, holed out for 43. Bodi went on to make 67 and Ahmed Amla added 46 before rain brought proceedings to a halt with the Dolphins 179 for three after 39 overs. At that stage the Duckworth-Lewis system had KZN 17 runs ahead of EP and that was the position when the match was finally called off.

In Potchefstroom North West put up a dogged fight before Lloyd Ferreira's 134 carried Western Province to victory.

The Dragons put together a respectable 235 before they were all out off the last ball of their 45 overs with Arno Jacobs making 73 and Martin Venter 67. Roger Telemachus and Graeme Smith picked up three wickets apiece.

With wickets falling around him at regular intervals, Ferreira kept WP going, hitting 15 fours and two sixes as his took his runs off 117 balls. It was the only major contribution of the innings, but it was enough to enable WP to clinch victory with 11 balls to spare.

The second legs of the ties will be played at Kingsmead and Newlands on Friday.

© CricInfo