Border won the toss and elected to bat first in the CSA One-day Challenge match against Easterns at Buffalo Park on Sunday.
Unfortunately, the innings was a shambles from first over to last, with some drama to add in the opening over of the day and they were dismissed for 160 in 42 overs, with Easterns replying with 161/8 and winning by two wickets.
Border opener Somila Seyibokwe was hit amidships and collapsed on the pitch and took some time to recover. Moments later, a swarm of bees flew across the ground and players and umpires hugged the ground for safety.
Unfortunately for Border, wickets began to fall at regular intervals and two unnecessary run-outs – that of skipper Jason Niemand and star batsman Marco Marais – added to their woes. However, both run-outs were the result of some fine fielding by Easterns who also held onto some excellent catches.
Marais, with 31, and the inexperienced all-rounder Joshua Dodd, with 38, were the only batsmen who managed to got among the runs and the final tally of 160 all out off 42 overs, looked decidedly inadequate.
The little leg-spin and googly bowler Dyllan Matthews impressed with 3/43, bowling the occasional full toss, but causing the Border batsmen to play him with extra caution as well.
But cricket is a strange – and exciting – game. Within seven overs, Border had hit back and five Easterns batsmen were back in the pavilion with only 33 on the board. These included Wesley Marshall, scorer of a double ton on Saturday, and Eastern skipper – the reliable Grant Thomson.
Left-arm pace bowler Brad Mauer had taken three of the five and looked an excellent prospect for Border in only his second game for the province.
Mauer had figures of 3/34 off 10 overs and he had excellent support from medium-pacer Bamanye Xenxe, who finished with 3/49, but Xenxe blotted his copy book somewhat by bowling two wides and conceding 12 runs in his final over.
Easterns wicketkeeper Sizwe Masondo started the recovery with a fluent 38 with six fours before he was out, caught behind by his counterpart, Mncedisi Malika at 98/6.
Then all-rounder Armand Erasmus was dismissed for four at 106 for seven wickets, and Border smelt victory for the first time. But Easterns all-rounder Matthew Arnold had other ideas. He settled in nicely and proceeded to score a neat 40, including five fours and took the visitors to 122/8 before he was caught by Malika off Bongolwethu Makeleni.
The tall Imran Manack, who earlier in the day took 3/25 in nine overs with his off-breaks, then began striking the ball well and he scored an invaluable 29 not out, adding 39 with Matthews and assisting Easterns to limp over the line with a narrow two-wicket victory.
On Saturday, Easterns opening batsman Marshall was the star performer in a drawn three-day game. Resuming on 75 not out, he raced to his century and eventually went on to score 201 not out when the declaration came at 341 for three wickets.
It was his fifth century, his career highest score, eclipsing his previous best of 152, and he batted altogether for just more than five hours.
This set Border the task of scoring 247 to win off 60 overs at about 5.8 to the over.
But Border failed to keep up the required rate and when bad light brought play to an early end late on the third day, they were 146/7 and holding on grimly.
Marshall also captured his first wicket in provincial games to complete a satisfying day...