After a terrible rain-ravaged One-Day Cup campaign, the Knights made the best of another rain-reduced contest to down the Dolphins in Kimberley, writes SIMON LEWIS.
The Knights’ 24-year-old opener Patrick Kruger proved to be the game-changer from the outset, racing to 79 off 54 balls with nine fours and three sixes (S/R 146.29), for his first major contribution of the campaign.
Rudi Second (36 off 36 balls) and Ryan McLaren (38 not out off 25 balls, S/R 152.00) added some meat to the middle overs, while Grant Mokoena (27 off 14 balls, 2×4, 1×6, S/R 1292.85) and Keegan Petersen (15 off 11) brought more firepower to the final overs to push the Knights’s score up to an imposing 208-5 off their 25 overs.
Senuran Muthusamy enjoyed the best success with the ball, picking up 2-35 (econ 7.00).
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Sarel Erwee got the Dolphins run chase off to a great start, continuing his good form in the tournament by playing some beautiful strokes. If he were given a few more months to prove himself, based on his strokeplay in this innings, he could add to the Proteas selectors’ batting headaches.
Chasing 8.36 runs to the over proved a bridge too far, and Erwee holed out to deep mid-wicket off Mbulelo Budaza for 38 off 31 balls (2×4, 2×6), with skipper Khaya Zondo adding a lusty 33 off 23 balls (2×4, 2×6).
The Knights’ 30-year-old seamer, Shadley van Schalkwyk, secured his second List A five-for, picking up wickets all through the innings to finish with figures of 4.4-0-25-5 as the Knights secured a precious second win of the season by a comfortable margin of 58 runs.
The Dolphins will rue the rain that has kept their chances of securing a playoff berth up in the air, although they remain well-placed in third spot on the table after a great white-ball season.
Photo: Frikkie Kapp/Gallo Images
