CENTURION (South Africa) - For most of the pretenders the season's hopes have either bolted or been blown apart and we have perennial losers Griqualand West and Border, in search of a trophy for more than 100 years, who finally get their chance to enter centre stage at Buffalo Park in East London tomorrow.

When Griquas last won anything of note there were those who still bowled underarm, we had coloured clothing (pastel shades rather than the garish pyjama variety) and the game was played on matting stretched over compounded ash or ant heap. That was 110 years ago when they were known as Kimberley.

Border, poor souls, who managed earlier this month to get a whiff of the heady atmosphere of success only to have it snatched away, have wandered 103 summers in search of a holy grail. Tomorrow night Pieter Strydom gets a chance to hold aloft the Standard Bank Cup as two of the less likely constants this summer play in the final.

Then again, no one can really sneer at their achievements in this knock-out series. Griquas finished third on the log and proved their worth by first seeing off Western Province and then Gauteng. The first with a touch of style the second with gusto.

Border were fifth, a rung below Eastern Province, and went on to thrash Eastern Province on a pitch which condemned the match to a low-scoring debacle. Then we had the weather (or so we were told) contriving to turn the Buffalo Park surface into something fit for a tortoise race and the pitch behaved accordingly.

They managed to squeeze out Free State last Friday night off the last ball of the game with Makhaya Ntini hitting a four to win the game and avoid the side being marched to the nearby cemetery and watch a tombstone erected for their efforts.

Then again, you cannot blame the players for the conditions which should have had a pitch inspector flown to the seaside resort to take a close look at what was provided for a semi-final. And Border were only too happy to make it to the final, so who is their skipper, Piet Strydom, to complain? Hopefully we will get something in keeping with occasion and an outfield free of the marsh-style conditions which created problems in the Free State game.

We had been told Buffalo Parks' drainage and outfield was now ranked as one of the best in the country. If this is so it doesn't say much for the other provincial grounds or Test venues. Not much has changed in this part of the world in the 30 years since spending a month here in 1969, followed by occasional visits for one-day slogs and three (now four-day) games. As for hospitality, you have to make your own, they are not an over friendly bunch to tourists.

They do host limited-overs internationals, which is something, but the local team, which is deserving of support gets precious little. If there are 5 000 tomorrow it will be a bumper crowd in what is the biggest sporting event since East London hosted the New Zealand rugby team in 1949 and won. Of course most snivelling locals would hardly remember that event.

Griquas, naturally, owe much to their hired hands Kepler Wessels, Pat Symcox and loose-limbed Bajan Ottis Gibson, who with the help of a lot of local, and not so local, talent find themselves wondering what on earth they are doing at Buffalo Park.

Border will think likewise about reaching a second final in four weeks. Vasbert Drakes, yet another Bajan, Piet Botha, Tyron Henderson, Craig Sugden and even Strydom, come from other areas of the country. But that's the way of the modern game.

It is interesting but far from amazing what a couple of grizzled veterans can do. For Wessels it is his last hurrah and what a way to go. He had fancied playing in a final in Bloemfontein where he was raised, went to school and learnt to love an Englishman's game.

Just how much Griquas owe him for this last opportunity this century to win a trophy is hard to imagine. Under his guidance they have emerged from being one of the minnows to a big fish. Perhaps Border feel the same.

They have gone for the same side which edged Free State in the snail's race for the honour of playing in the final. That's not surprising as it is a competent squad which has served the province well this season.

Teams

Griqualand West (from): Kepler Wessels (capt), Mickey Arthur, Martyn Gidley, Willie Dry, Finley Brooker, Loots Bosman, Ottis Gibson, Pat Symcox, Andre Botha, Wendell Bossenger, Deon Kruis, Garth Roe.

Border (from): Piet Botha, Brad White, Wayne Wiblin, Piet Strydom, Craig Sugden, Vasbert Drakes, Ian Mitchell, Steve Pope, Geoff Love, Deon Taljard, Tyron Henderson, Makhaya Ntini Peter Emslie