The Knights wrapped up their second win of the Sunfoil series, beating the Titans early on Saturday morning by five wickets.
And in keeping with the tone of the match, the Knights lost three wickets – taken in four balls by Marchant de Lange – on Saturday morning while chasing 39 to win. That brought to 35 the number of wickets which fell in six and a half sessions of play.
It was a remarkable victory for the Bloemfontein team, who were bowled out for 76 in their first innings, in reply to the Titans’ 141.
Even when they dismissed the Titans for 187 in the second innings, they faced, in the context of the game, a mountain to climb: needing a ‘massive’ 253, more than three times their previous effort.
The pitch had obviously assumed a new identity, for Rilee Rossouw had a strike rate of 109 in racing to 97 off 89 balls (14×4, 1×6). He was given a solid platform by an opening partnership of 101 by Michael Erlank (33) and Reeza Hendricks (69) which came at a run-rate of more than five an over.
Rossouw then shared a third-wicket partnership of 130 with Rudi Second (41 not out), and when his wicket fell, bowled by De Lange, it was all over bar the shouting and the loss of Luthando Mnyando (0) and Tumelo Bodibe (0).
So from all this mayhem, De Lange ended with 4-75 and Ethy Mbhalati 5-55 in the match as the standout Titan bowlers, while the shining Knight was Duanne Olivier 8-81.
Meanwhile, in Pietermaritzburg, the dark and threatening weather prevented any play on Saturday between the Dolphins and the Warriors. Stumps were drawn mid-afternoon.
