Incisive bowling, fine fielding and some explosive batting saw the North West Dragons inflict one of the heaviest defeats on the ITEC Knights in domestic T20 history as they galloped home by eight wickets with 9.5 overs to spare, chasing a mere 95 for victory in their CSA T20 Challenge match at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Thursday.
Opener Wesley Marshall smashed 43 from just 29 balls with five fours and two sixes while Heino Kuhn finished the job with an unbeaten 30 from only 20 balls with five fours. The victory earned the Dragons the first bonus point of the competition so far.
Having chosen to bowl first, the Dragons made the perfect start with three wickets within the Power Play, beginning with a fine delivery from left-arm seamer Duan Jansen crashing into Raynard van Tonder’s off-stump, dismissing him for just three.
Jacques Snyman (8) was bowled by Dwaine Pretorius while captain Pite van Biljon (4) swept left arm spinner Johannes Diseko to Jansen at square leg.
Farhaan Behardien, so often the man for a crisis, was run out for four by Kuhn attempting an impossible single to mid on while opener Patrick Kruger slapped a full-length delivery from Senuran Muthusamy to Kuhn at extra cover for a top score of 20 from 19 balls.
The carnage continued with Mangaliso Mosehle (7) chopping a cut shot against Muthusamy onto his stumps while Migael Pretorius (12) was comfortably run out by Dwaine Pretorius from short third man. Scarcely credibly, Jason Raubenheimer (19) became the third run out victim of the innings when he was beaten by Caleb Seleka’s throw.
Muthusamy finished with the remarkable analysis of 4-0-8-2 although there was no shortage of impressive analyses, with Diseko claiming 2-19 in his four overs at either end of the innings and Jansen 1-16 in his four.
ITEC KNIGHTS: Patrick Kruger, Raynard van Tonder, Jacques Snyman, Pite van Biljon (captain), Farhaan Behardien, Jason Raubenheimer, Mangaliso Mosehle, Migael Pretorius, Gerald Coetzee, Gregory Mahlokwana, Alfred Mothoa
NORTH WEST DRAGONS: Heino Kuhn, Wesley Marshall, Dwaine Pretorius, Nicky van den Bergh (captain), Senuran Muthusamy, Lesego Senokwane, Nono Pongolo, Duan Jansen, Caleb Seleka, Johannes Diseko, Chad Classen