Strikers, Titans in thrilling draw
Source: Supercricket - October 21, 2002

The Highveld Strikers attack toiled long and hard under a hot sun, but their efforts went unrewarded as the Northern Titans held out for a draw, in their SuperSport match at SuperSport Park.

When the players walked off the field two overs early because of bad light the Titans needed 10 runs to win with the last two batsmen at the crease.

But it was real edge of the seat humdinger, as first, Jacques Rudolph 68 off 141 deliveries (10x4, 2x6) and Neil McKenzie put on 87 for the third wicket before Matthew Street caught Rudolph behind, off the last ball before the luncheon interval.

Clive "Steady Eddy" Eksteen normally as parsimonious as a widow's purse strings came in for some tap as the two batsmen carted him all over the park, four colossal sixes off two consecutive overs.

McKenzie, in somewhat of a slump in recent weeks put it all behind him, as he struck 12 fours and two sixes in a 232 ball 102 - his 11th first-class hundred - his innings though was not chanceless as Eksteen missed a caught and bowled opportunity when he was on 68. But with him at the wicket Northerns prospered, and together with Gerald Dros 49 of 93, struck 80 runs for the fifth wicket.

Both players departed within 15 runs of each other; McKenzie caught behind and Dros castled by Shane Burger.

Their departure signalled a mini collapse, but the tail managed to hold out.

HIGHVELD STRIKERS-First innings 214 all out
NORTHERN TITANS-First innings 252 all out
HIGHVELD STRIKERS-Second innings 387 all out
NORTHERN TITANS-Second innings
J Rudolph c Street b Andrews 68
A Petersen c Nkwe b Eksteen 12
P Harris c Nkwe b Mafa 5
N McKenzie c Street b Andrews 102
J Mokonyama c Street b Bacher 27
G Dros b Burger 49
K van Wyk c Bacher b Eksteen 12
P Joubert ct Street b Mafa 20
G Hampson not out 27
C Karemaker run out Cook/Street 3
E Mbhlati not out 0
Extras: (5b, 2b, 4nb, 4w.) 15
Total: (for 9 wickets, 115 overs) 340
Fall of wicket: 1/47, 2/53, 3/140, 4/194, 5/274, 6/289, 7/289, 8/320, 9/340
Bowling: Andrews 17-3-57-2(w3) Burger 22-3-81-1(nb1) Mafa 19-7-36-2(nb3, w1) Eksteen 42-14-112-2
Nkwe 7-0-36-0 Bacher 8-2-11-1

Bonus Points:
Titans: 7.04 (Bowling 4, Batting 3.04)
Strikers: 6.28 (Batting 2.28, Bowling 4)
Result: Match drawn
Man-of-the-match: Jacques Rudolph