Natal v Border preview

The Natal bowling attack will have to show significant improvement in their crucial Super Eight match against Border in East London from Friday if Dale Benkenstein's team are to achieve their aim of reaching the SuperSport Series final.

After the wonderful display of their top-order batsmen in the day/night match against Free State, most of the Natal bowlers seemed intent on handing the game to the visitors as they just refused to realise that their many short-pitched deliveries were only helping the batsmen accumulate runs in their ultimately vain pursuit of a big score of 223. Gary Gilder and Eldine Baptiste were most at fault and they will be keen to rectify matters as they have key roles to play in the Natal attack this weekend.

Border, SuperSport Series finalists last season and seven points ahead of Natal with a game in hand, have once again built their victories around their pace attack. In Makhaya Ntini and Vasbert Drakes, they have two top-class fast bowlers, while Tyron Henderson, although not enjoying quite as much success as last season, remains a wonderfully watchable practitioner of the arts of swing and seam.

After his unfortunate brush with the law, the reinstated Ntini will be particularly keen to impress. He seems to be bowling every bit as quickly as he was before he was frozen out of cricket, although his control in recent games has been a problem.

The Border batting has also been impressive this season, with captain Pieter Strydom in magnificent form and leading the way.

The 30-year-old has enjoyed the season of his life, strolling to the top of the first-class averages with two centuries and five fifties in his tally of 581 runs at an average of 83, which has also elevated him to the national squad.

Wayne Wiblin is one of the domestic game's most destructive batsmen and will certainly make a meal of the Natal attack if they dish up the same fare as they did against Free State, while the likes of Steven Pope and Ian Mitchell have shown their talent at this level too.

The do-or-die nature of the game for Natal will ensure plenty of excitement throughout the four days at Buffalo Park. Lying in third position, Natal must win both of their last two games 'this weekend's and next weekend's against Northerns at home' to make the final and will have a tough task without their internationals (Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener and Jonty Rhodes).

Natal were superior to their opposition in most facets of the game in their last outing 'Benkenstein and Andrew Hudson batting with tremendous flair and then both pulling off spectacular catches (as did wicketkeeper Errol Stewart)' but the bowlers will need to pull their socks up if the Dolphins are to maintain their interest in lifting the cup at the end of the season. Dismissing Border within 100 overs for a full haul of bonus bowling points would be a good start.

Squads: Border: Piet Botha, Justin Kreusch, Wayne Wiblin, Pieter Strydom (capt), Laden Gamiet, Steven Pope, Ian Mitchell, Vasbert Drakes, Geoff Love, Tyron Henderson, Makhaya Ntini, Malibongwe Maketa.

Natal: Doug Watson, Mark Bruyns, Andrew Hudson, Dale Benkenstein (capt), Errol Stewart, Ahmed Amla, Jon Kent, Kevin Pietersen, Eldine Baptiste, Ross Veenstra, Gary Gilder, Wade Wingfield.