Beuran Hendricks and Dane Piedt, the captains of WSB Western Province and the Knights, shook hands after their CSA 4-Day Series encounter at WSB Newlands was declared a draw. The two captains accepted the result shortly after tea on the fourth day of their match.
This is the Knights' second draw of the season, and it lifts them to second place. They overtook the Renault Potchefstroom North West Dragons. This is also a second draw for Western Province, who are now in third place, after leapfrogging a number of teams to go from seventh to third.
The teams lost the first day of play to rain and half of the second day to a wet outfield. When conditions cleared, the home side won the toss, elected to bat first and managed 202 runs in their first innings. Western Province reached that total courtesy of a half-century from Onke Nyaku. His seventh first-class half-ton. This is his first 50 of the season.
However, the star in the innings was Tiaan van Vuuren, who was outstanding with the ball for the Knights. The pacer bagged his third first-class four-wicket haul as he helped the Knights restrict Western Province to a low total. The 23-year-old bagged four wickets for 39 runs in 14 overs.
The Knights were in better control of their batting, compared to Western Province, when they replied. Their top four batters delivered half-centuries as they powered the visitors to 373/8d.
Jacques Snyman, Lesego Senokwane, Isaac Dikgale and Patrick Botha were in scintillating form as they registered 50s. Snyman raced to a 41-ball 50, his third first-class half-century of the season. Snyman has only featured in three innings and has proven to be a consistent batter. This is his 16th first-class half-ton.
Senokwane came into the match with two centuries and a half-century to his name. He added to that tally with his second half-century of the season. This is his eighth first-class half-century. He was dismissed for a well-played 74 off 172.
Dikgale was the third Knights batter to register a half-century in the innings. It took him 111 deliveries to get to 10th first-class half-century. He top-scored for the Knights with 84 from 211 balls. Botha did not miss out on the run-fest as he cruised to a 39th first-class half-ton that he reached in 85 balls. Botha was dismissed after scoring a brilliant 80 off 122 balls.
Kyle Simmonds starred for Western Province with the ball as he bagged his 11th first-class half-century. Simmonds was also the top performing bowler in the match, closely followed by Van Vuuren, who starred with the ball for the Knights.
Western Province dead-batted their way through their second innings, playing more for time than runs in the final two sessions of day four. They had no chance at winning the game and the best result they could play for was a draw. Jono Bird led the scoring, and crawled his way to a milestone. He faced 150 deliveries to reach his third first-class half-century. His was the final wicket to fall in the match.
WESTERN PROVINCE: Eddie Moore, Jono Bird, Oliver Whitehead, Daniel Smith, Juan James, Onke Nyaku, Mihlali Mpongwana, Kyle Simmonds, Beuran Hendricks (capt), Jody Lawrence, Mthiwekhaya Nabe.
KNIGHTS: Isaac Dikgale, Lesego Senokwane, Jacques Snyman, Tiaan van Vuuren, Dian Forrester, Dane Piedt (capt), Patrick Botha, Gihahn Cloete (wk), Malusi Siboto, Sithembile Langa, Aaron Phangiso.