Duanne Olivier and Luthando Mnyanda drove the Knights to their first win in the 4-Day Franchise Series, completing their five-wicket triumph over the Dolphins in Kimberley with a day to spare.
The Dolphins looked ready to put up a strong fight, resuming action on 48-2 at the start of day three, but Sarel Erwee could only add eight runs to his overnight score (33 off 58 balls, eight fours).
The Dolphins then lost Kerwin Mungroo (13) and Senuran Muthusamy (15) with the score on 79, and when Dane Vilas followed for six, the visitors were reeling on 85-6.
Calvin Savage (27) and Eathan Bosch (19) ensured the score passed 100, but clinical bowling to the tail by Olivier ensured the Dolphins were all out for 135 off 42.2 overs.
Olivier followed up his first-innings four-for with 4-35 (econ 2.62), Ottniel Baartman (3-30) and Ryan McLaren (2-43) also did their bit to bundle the Dolphins out, while substitute fielder Andries Gous took three catches standing in as keeper.
Chasing just 138 for victory, the Knights got off to a great start, with Mnyanda and Grant Mokoena (19) adding 41 for the first wicket before Mokoena was dismissed by Muthusamy.
Muthusamy added the wicket of Keegan Petersen (six) and then caught Knights captain Pite van Biljon for a duck (his first score below 50 in the series to date) off Savage, who trapped Patrick Kruger leg before off the next ball.
Reduced to 60-4, the Dolphins knuckled down to hitting their target, with Mnyanda and McLaren adding 75 for the fifth wicket to take the Knights within a boundary of victory, before Muthusamy struck again, removing Mnyanda for a well played 62 off 119 balls (10 fours).
Rudi Second then hit the second ball he faced for four to seal a hard-fought victory for the Knights that will certainly give the squad a lift for the rest of the campaign. The Dolphins were left ruing their second-innings collapse that left them without a win after their first two matches.
Muthusamy (3-30) and Savage (2-19) did their best but couldn’t prevent the Knights from chasing down their target in 39 overs. Olivier was named Player of the Match for his match figures of 8-85 and a crucial 31 not out in the Knights’ first innings.
Photo: Louis Botha/Gallo Images
