Mendis four-for in vain as Nelson Mandela Bay Giants win rain-hit match
The arrival of a highveld thunderstorm, and the threat of lightning that came with it, brought the first game of the Sunday double-header to a premature end
The arrival of a highveld thunderstorm, and the threat of lightning that came with it, brought the first game of the Sunday double-header to a premature end
Commentator: @sreshthx
2.12pm It's official. Nelson Mandela Bay Giants win by seven runs! A disappointing finish for the fans on this Sunday afternoon. But they did enjoy Marais' whirlwind 47 and two excellent spells of bowling. First it was Jeevan Mendis' legbreak that earned him figures of 4 for 22, and then Sipamla's 3-29 in the back end. That's all from us at ESPNcricinfo. Join us in an hour for the day's second game: between Paarl Rocks and Cape Town Blitz. Till then, on behalf of Liam Brickhill, this is Sreshth Shah signing off. Bye bye!
2.08pm And the teams are now shaking hands. That just means one thing... this game is over! The TV graphic says 'match abandoned' but this should actually be "victory for Nelson Mandela Bay Giants". We'll let you know what the official word is. Remember, they've batted for more than five overs, so the game should definitely have a result, according to the ICC and MCC playing conditions.
Saeed abbas: "Please keep providing weather and match report unless its finished" -- Not sure how much we can tell you with the weather not changing at all. For what it's worth, I think the game will be called off soon.
1.47pm Very few spectators at the ground now. A steady drizzle around Centurion.
DirkL: "If AB was still in, those spectators would have stayed despite the storm."
1.23pm Just on the stroke of the wicket, the umpires have called the players from the field because of the approaching storm. The problem is not rain - yet - but the danger of lightning that accompanies thunderstorms on the highveld. The covers have come on now and the sky is as grey as my soul.
AB de Villiers lbw b le Roux 1 (2m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00
DLS par is 40, and le Roux comes on to bowl
One delivery to go before we have a game
T de Zorzi c †Second b Magala 9 (24m 14b 1x4 0x6) SR: 64.28
The floodlights are on, and there's some thunder rumbling
The arrival of a highveld thunderstorm, and the threat of lightning that came with it, brought the first game of the Sunday double-header to a premature end