Cronje batted with his usual style and grace to start off his domestic season with a selection of silky drives, cuts and glances, but his efforts failed to ignite the SuperSport Series title-holders against last season's losing Standard Bank Cup finalists.
On a pitch tinged with touch of green where the swing and seam bowlers forced the batsmen to work for their runs, Northerns had to rely on their brigade of emerging talent to steer them home in 42 overs. The Titans scored 163 for six in reply to the Free State Eagles 162.
As with Free State the Northerns top-order found the ball swinging around a lot more than usual with young Pierre Joubert bagging two for 26 in nine well-controlled overs to keep the pressure on the visitors after Greg Smith, two for 19 and David Townsend one for 23 made early inroads.
After Cronje's dismissal through a run out by Rudolf Steyn it was left to Free State's younger brigade of Morne van Wyk and Wiaan Smit to rescued the visitors from a Free State from total collapse.
Cronje's innings of 68 (lasted 99 ball and included six fours and a six, but was well short of the explosive half century against Sri Lanka in the second Test at the same venue six months ago.
Arriving with the score at eight for one, Cronje eventually departed in the 36th over with the Free State total limping along at 146 for six and the hoped for 200 plus target slowly evaporated.
Northerns began just as streakily as Free State with Mike Rindel managing only five, (5) the first to depart. Martin van Jaarsveld and Gerald Dros had to work for their runs but their third-wicket partnership of 59 laid the early foundations for an eventual Northerns victory with three overs to spare.
Dros showed scant respect for Cronje's reputation as an ODI bowler by hitting the SA skipper back over his head for four while Van Jaarsveld started his innings of 29 with a blazing cut for four.
Both batsmen were dismissed when well set: Van Jaarsveld's 29 included five well-placed boundaries along with a clip over mid-wicket for six. Dros looked set to steer Northerns Titans home after going to 49 with a seventh four when attempting to drive over the top. It was left to Dirkie de Vos (40 not out to see Northerns home.
There was some impressive swing and seaming bowling by Herman Bakkes whose nine overs cost him only eight runs - four of which came from wides - and it was his nagging accurate seam and swing which put Northerns under pressure.
The two sides, no doubt with certain amendments to their respective line ups meet at Springbok Park on October 2 to launch the Standard Bank League season.
More from Bob Dubery (megapode@icon.co.za)
Despite a fluent half-century from national captain Hansie Cronje, Free State lost their annual challenge match against Northern Titans by 4 wickets. Cronje's 68 was the highest score in the match, but the Northern's attack made better use of a wicket that had a tinge of green and offered some movement off the seam.
Two of the countries best known (and best) seam bowlers were not in action. Fanie de Villiers, of course, has retired after 13 seasons of bowling for his adopted province. Allan Donald is resting after one long campaign against England and before another against the West Indies.