Hall shines with both bat and ball

That success breeds further success has been illustrated by the performances of the Gauteng cricket team this season, and in particular by those inexperienced individuals who have been drafted into the side in the absence of many regular campaigners.

Having strengthened their bid for a semifinal spot in the Standard Bank Cup with a 16-run victory over Northerns at the Wanderers on Wednesday, Gauteng will go into Friday's match against Free State at the same venue (2.30pm start) high on confidence. Lifting the first-class title has done wonders for the spirit at Gauteng and even the absence of key players like regular captain Clive Eksteen, Daryll Cullinan, Nic Pothas, David Terbrugge and West Indian Kenny Benjamin has done little to halt their progress.

Andrew Hall continues to shine with both bat and ball (he made 50 runs and took four wickets against Northerns) and two other stalwarts -- stand-in skipper Adam Bacher and veteran New Zealander Ken Rutherford -- are also in fine touch.

However, it was the performances on Wednesday of some of the newer faces that was particularly encouraging, with swing bowler Justin Engelke leading the way. Back in the frame after being ruled out for so long through injury, Engelke took 3/24 in his nine overs to peg back a Northerns side with serious aspirations of reaching a daunting victory target of 244.

Johnson Mafa bowled tidily and was rewarded with the important wicket of Steve Elworthy, and Neil Fusedale, finally given a chance with Eksteen being away in India, responded well with a disciplined display of left-arm spin bowling.

Promising allrounder Zander de Bruyn also batted nicely and wicketkeeper Matthew Street was tidy if not spectacular, with a fine, diving catch to get rid of in-form Northerns batsman Martin van Jaarsveld capping a solid day's work.

For Friday's clash, Pothas will return after serving a two-match suspension and Benjamin will probably get a run after being rested in mid-week. Cullinan in touring India with South Africa and Terbrugge is injured.

Free State were also in action on Wednesday and they must be wishing their match against high-riding Easterns had been washed out. Unfortunately for them, the persistent rains of late abated and they slumped to an ignominious defeat on their home ground under the leadership of Gerard Brophy, their fifth captain of the season. They will be eager to pick themselves up for today's match and keep alive their hopes of a place in the last four, but it is doubtful they will be able to match the exhuberant confidence of a Gauteng side on the up and up.

- In other Standard Bank Cup matches on Friday, Griquas host Border in Kimberley, KwaZulu Natal take on Easterns in Durban and Western Province entertain Northerns in Cape Town.