The Knights claimed their first win of the T20 Challenge while the Lions recorded their second in a row as we wrap up Day 4 of the T20 Challenge.
The Knights have posted their first victory of the tournament, courtesy an unbelievable final-over burst from Migael Pretorius.
After deciding to bat first, the Cobras were off to a relatively slower and more cautious start in the Powerplay. Legspinner Shaun von Berg kept the Cobras on the back foot when he dismissed Tony de Zorzi (24) and Onke Nyaku (0) in 3 balls.
From that point, opener Zubayr Hamza and keeper batsman Kyle Verreynne responsibly put together 88 runs. It wasn’t until the death overs when Hamza began to open up, and he carted Alfred Mothoa for 2 sixes in the last over, finishing at an unbeaten 77, his personal-best score in T20s.
During the case, the Cobras got to work immediately, when Corbin Bosch dismissed the dangerous Jacques Snyman rather cheaply. It was a 63-run stand between the young Raynard van Tonder and the hard-hitting Pite van Biljon that kept the Knights well and truly in the hunt. Just when it seemed like they’d be taking the game away, Siya Mahima dismissed them both.
Fast bowler Ziyaad Abrahams was tasked with defending 19 runs in the final over. It looked like the Cobras were the favorites when Grant Mokoena offered a catch to de Zorzi, but Migael Pretorius smashed the next two deliveries for sixes, and all of a sudden, the Knights were back in it. To compound the agony for the Cobras, Abrahams overstepped on the final delivery, and Pretorius connected with the free-hit, sending it to the boundary for four, defying the odds and scripting a win to savor for the Knights.
Cobras 167/5 in 20 overs (Hamza 77*, Verreynne 45 – von Berg 2/23, Mothoa 2/32)
Knights 169/7 in 20 overs (van Tonder 42 – Mahima 2/31, Bosch 2/41)
In the second game of today’s double-header, the Lions continued their rich form after edging out the Titans by 18 runs.
Simon Harmer, the experienced offspinning allrounder, got his first game for the Titans today and impressed with the new ball, claiming the big wicket of Lions skipper Temba Bavuma. In addition, an economical Powerplay spell from the Titans bowler prevented the Lions from getting off to a quick start.
A solid 39 from Reeza Hendricks and a handy unbeaten 37 from Rassie van der Dussen drove the Lions past 120 in 16 overs, and then the rain arrived.
The DLS target for the Titans was 131 in 15 overs, and it was a far-from-ideal start. A tight combined spell from the Proteas trio of left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin and seamers Kagiso Rabada and Beuran Hendricks reduced the Titans to 46/4 in 7 overs. Wickets continued to fall nearly every over, but a late burst from Junior Dala seemed to keep the door just a crack open for the Titans for a brief moment. However, Dala’s dismissal spelled the end of the Titans’ chances, and the Lions successfully prevailed in the rain-hit contest.
This was the first loss for the Titans, who are now third on the league table, while the Lions have advanced to second.
Lions 124/4 in 16.2 overs (R Hendricks 39, van der Dussen 37* – Harmer, Ngidi, L Williams all 1/19)
Titans 112/8 (Dala 21 – B Hendricks 2/7, Fortuin 2/21) in 15 overs (DLS)
Photo: Steve Haag/BackpagePix
