David Wiese, returning from injury, applied a stranglehold which gave the Titans a one-run win over the Knights in the Ram Slam Challenge in Bloemfontein on Friday night.
Wiese took four wickets to bring about a most unlikely victory after the Titans had been sent in to bat and were restricted to 128-5.
Only Reeza Hendricks stood up to the Titans attack, ending on 63 off 52 balls (6×4, 1×6), but falling to Wiese, caught at deep square leg, with one ball to go.
Andre Russell added an exhilarating cameo of 20 off just eight balls (3×6) before he too was dismissed by Wiese. Only Dillon du Preez reached double figures (10) as the challenge died.
This result leaves the Knights without a win in four matches.
Earlier, it seemed a good choice to send the Titans in to bat, even though Quint0n de Kock and Henry Davids set off at pace. They were scoring at six an over… for the first four overs.
Then four wickets fell in the next six overs, all to the pace of Shadley van Schalkwyk (2), Malusi Siboto and Kagiso Mohale with just 23 runs being added. At the halfway mark, Titans were in deep trouble at 56-4.
Farhaan Behardien and Albie Morkel did their best to stem the tide, putting on 54 for the fifth wicket, but against a formidable bowling unit, they could not accelerate. Behardien fell to Siboto for 24 off 26, while Morkel went on unbeaten to 46 off 34. Wiese added 12 off 11 balls as the Titans scrambled to what seemed an inadequate total.
It was difficult start for the Knights’ big signing, Andre Russell, who went for 38 off his four overs. Siboto ended with a brilliant 2-14 off his four and Van Schalkwyk 2-15.
That looked good enough, until the Knights went into melt-down.
This is the Titans third win out of four, having lost the first match of the series
