Day 1: Warriors and Knights match in the balance

Johan van Dyk and Beyers Swanepoel bagged four-wicket hauls for the Knights and the Dafabet Warriors on a bowling-dominated first day of the CSA 4-Day Series encounter between the two sides at Dafabet St George's Park on Thursday.

 At stumps, the Knights were on 65-5. They trail the Warriors by 106 runs with five wickets in hand.

They had Gihan Cloete (18*) and Tiaan van Vuuren (0*) at the crease.

The visitors won the toss, elected to bowl first, and restricted the Warriors to 171.

The hosts replied with a disciplined bowling effort led by Beyers Swanepoel and CJ King.

The pair took the new ball, gave little away, and created the grounds for five wickets in a session.

Swanepoel was unrelenting as he bowled his way to a 10th four-wicket haul.

He was so unplayable he took four wickets for 16 runs in 7.2 overs, with three of his overs being maidens. 

King played a great supporting role and finished the day with a single wicket for 24 runs in four overs.

The five wickets depleted the Knights' advantage.

VAN DYK ON SONG

Earlier in the day, Van Dyk bagged four wickets for 48 runs in 15.3 overs.

The 31-year-old led from the front as the Knights wrested control in the afternoon session.

This is Van Dyk's sixth four-wicket haul.

His inspired afternoon spell led to the capitulation of the Warriors' band of allrounders.

He accounted for Senuran Muthusamy, Andile Mogakane, Beyers Swanepoel and Patrick Kruger.

Three of those wickets came in a period when the hosts lost six wickets for eight runs in seven overs.

Dane Piedt instigated the six-wicket collapse with JP King's wicket.

King had forged a 98-run third-wicket partnership with Jiveshan Pillay after a poor start by the home side.

The Warriors lost two wickets for seven runs in the first 15 minutes of the match.

King scored a patient 43 off 142 balls. His erstwhile partner, Pillay, was also circumspect in his accumulation of 49 runs from 123 deliveries.

They top-scored on a day when batters did not find much joy.

Pillay was dismissed by Tiaan van Vuuren three balls after King's wicket.

Van Dyk was unplayable and he took three of the next four wickets as the Warriors crumbled.

Patrick Kruger launched a rearguard fightback, fighting fire with fire as he farmed the strike.

He raced to 35 off 43 balls in an effort to steer the Warriors closer to 200.

He was Van Dyk's fourth victim and the last Warriors wicket to fall.

WARRIORS: Jivesham Pillay, Jordan Hermann, Matthew de Villiers, JP King, Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), Senuran Muthusamy (capt), Patrick Kruger, Andile Mogakane, Beyers Swanepoel, CJ King, Alfred Mothoa.

KNIGHTS: Jacques Snyman, Lesego Senokwane, Isaac Dikgale, Patrick Botha, Gihahn Cloete (wk), Dian Forrester, Tiaan van Vuuren, Aaron Phangiso, Dane Piedt (capt), Malusi Siboto, Johannes van Dyk