It was perhaps fitting that the rain had the final say in the one-day match between Border and Northern Cape which was called off on Sunday afternoon after a heavy downpour.
Northern Cape will feel slightly aggrieved as, after Border won the toss in the morning and sent the visitors in to bat, they played superbly either side of a rain delay to score 290/4 in 42 overs.
Border’s target, set after the second rain delay, was amended to 316 to win off 42 overs.
However, just one over was able to be bowled in Border’s innings before the rain returned and with lightning and bad light all playing a part, the umpires finally called off play just after 3pm.
Northern Cape’s batting effort did not get off to a great start in the morning as captain Farhaan Sayanvala was run out for five in the third over with the visitors 9/1.
That brought Jacques Snyman to the crease and he played as the aggressor in a superb 193-run partnership with former Border opener Gerhardt Abrahams.
It must have been a frustrating sight for the Border coaching staff to watch Abrahams bat so well, after he signed for the union last season and proved to be a disaster with a string of poor performances that saw him not receive a contract for this season and eventually return to the Northern Cape side.
He played the anchor role which allowed Snyman to bat with freedom as he powered the ball to all parts of the field.
Having got Northern Cape past the 200 run mark in under 30 overs, Snyman finally fell for a blistering 121 off 95 balls that featured 20 fours and two sixes, as Bongolwethu Makeleni had him caught by Bradley Williams for the only wicket to go to a bowler.
Northern Cape then reached 253/2 after 37 overs when the first delay came, and after returning to the field just over an hour-and-a-half later they continued on to 290/4, with two run outs, while Abrahams reached an unbeaten 121 off 113 balls.
The second rain delay then ended Northern Cape’s innings and Border were set a stiff target of 316 off 42 overs.
The home team must have been relieved to see the rain come down again at the end of their first over, especially after Somila Seyibokwe, 2, was bowled by Sinovuyo Ntuntwana with what proved to be the last ball of the day’s play leaving the hosts on eight for one wicket.
This followed disappointment for both teams in the three-day match on Saturday, after the final day’s play meandered to a draw.
After only 37 overs were possible on day one, with Border scoring 98/3 and the entire second day washed out after heavy morning rain, it was interesting to see if there would be some sporting declarations from both sides on the final day in an attempt to force a result.
However, that did not prove to be the case as Border continued their innings, with captain Jason Niemand on 28 and Seyibokwe on five. Niemand was first to go on 40, while Seyibokwe went on to make 59.
Mncedisi Malika, 42, and Malwande Zamo, 23, and Clayton Bosch, 15, finished unbeaten when Border declared on 250/6.
Former Border fast bowler Ntuntwana impressed with the ball, picking up 3/66.
Northern Cape then scored 55/2, with first class debutants Brad Mauer, 1/13, and Josh Dodd, 1/23, picking up the wickets when the game ended in a draw at tea-time...