Greg Smith continued his form with the ball and Lance Klusener started showing his limited overs batting skills as The Benson & Hedges Cup kicked off in England with most of the other South Africans getting off on the wrong foot.

Nottinghamshire lost to Yorkshire in a close rain affected match with Smith taking 5/39 while Klusener and Kevin Pieterson failed to get a wicket between them. Needing 71 from 13 overs Klusener failed in the final over to get the three runs needed for victory ending on 29 not out while Pieterson got two.

Some obscure playing conditions allowing for a minimum of 10 overs to constitute a match saw Nottinghamshire reach the 73/0 for victory in 8.2 overs with Klusener scoring 39 not out off 27 balls. Derby could only manage 72/7 in their ten overs with Smith taking 3/8 and Klusener 1/18. Pieterson ended on 0/11.

Neil Johnson after scoring 10 and taking 1/46 in losing to Kent made amends in a win for Hampshire against Surrey getting things together scoring 46. Nic Pothas failed in both matches recording two and zero in the respective games. He did however take three catches behind the wickets in the Surrey match.

Shaun Pollock looks to be settling down to the England conditions taking 1/18 in winning against Somerset and followed this up with a 3/44 in losing to Gloucestershire. He is yet to perform with the bat for Warwickshire managing six and 13 in the two games.

Mark Davis failed to get any wickets in his two games for Sussex while Sven Koenig scored 13 for Middlesex winning against Surrey.

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