The Knights thrashed the Cobras by 148 runs at Newlands to keep their One Day Cup playoff hopes alive.
It was the perfect all-round display from the Knights, who were similarly impressive against them in the reverse fixture at the beginning of the tournament, when they beat them by 100 runs. This was even better, as big runs at the top of the order were backed up by wickets from five of the six bowlers utilised, as the Cobras were skittled for 152.
The win, their fourth of the tournament, was enough to put them level on points with the Titans, who currently occupy the third and final qualifying spot. The Cobras will go into their last match of the campaign knowing they’ve been knocked out.
Despite an excellent effort with the new and old ball from Rory Kleinveldt, who picked up figures of 3-41 from his 10 overs, the rest of the attack failed to deliver, as Rudi Second and Tumelo Bodibe struck up a 183-run, second-wicket stand.
Bodibe passed his career-best List A score of 88, but fell an agonising seven runs short of a maiden ton. Second pushed on to bring up his fifth 50-over century, as David Miller provided the lethal blows at the back end of the innings, smashing a 31-ball fifty before reaching 58.
300-5 was the result as the Cobras had it all to do. They were never in it however, with regular wickets falling at the top of the order. Andrew Puttick (1) and skipper Justin Ontong both fell to the medium pace of Shadley van Schalkwyk (2-24) in the third over to leave the hosts rattled on 2-2.
Without Richard Levi in the side, the hosts lacked the firepower at the top of the order to make the Knights uncomfortable, but his replacement, Andrea Agathangelou, did try and put up a fight by hitting five fours in the first 10 overs.
With batsmen falling around him, the pressure became too much, and Agathangelou eventually departed for 24 to the experienced campaigner Dillon du Preez (2-17).
Young all-rounder Dayaan Galiem attempted to keep the Cobras afloat with a well-played 41, but part-time spinner Diego Rosier (3-29) weighed in with three wickets to make light work of the tail.
Five of the bottom six batsmen did score double figures to frustrate the visitors, but it was all wrapped up in 32 overs, to leave the Cobras well short of the mark.
The Titans meanwhile jumped above the Warriors into second, after beating the table-topping Dolphins by 33 runs in Durban.
The rain-shortened, 40-over game was a low-scoring affair on a difficult track, which saw Farhaan Behardien score 45 and Albie Morkel 38 as the Titans produced 204-8 from their allotted overs. The Dolphins battled to 155 all out, as Shaun von Berg (4-40) and Junior Dala (3-26) took seven wickets between them to hand the hosts their third defeat of the campaign.
Photo: Frikkie Kapp/Backpage Pix
