Knights in control after successful morning session

The Knights seized control of the morning session, taking four wickets to reduce the Renault Potchefstroom North West Dragons to 72/4 at lunch on day one of their CSA 4-Day Series match at Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein, on Thursday.

The Dragons won the toss and elected to bat first. The visitors had Rubin Hermann (35*) and Ruan de Swardt (2*) at the crease at lunch. The visitors will be hoping that the opener and the allrounder can rebuild in the post-lunch period.

Johan van Dyk gave the Knights in the first hour of play. The medium pacer dismissed Matthew Kleinveldt in his fifth over, when he lured the opener into a booming drive, which he miscued to Isaac Dikgale at point.

The last time Matthew Pollard bowled for the Knights was in their four-wicket loss to Northern Cape in February 2024. He took three wickets in that encounter. The 24-year-old made a great return to the starting line-up with a wicket in the fifth over of his spell. Pollard, who was pounding on a good length, got one delivery to rise on Lesiba Ngoepe, who edged the ball to the slips for the Knights' second wicket of the session.

Pollard was in outstanding form, making things happen. One of those things was the dismissal of Raynard van Tonder in his sixth over. Van Tonder missed the Knights' last match due to an injury he was recovering from. The home side would have been looking to him for a big innings in his best format. However, that was not to be for the 26-year-old.

The fourth wicket fell when Dane Piedt, who has returned from a successful Proteas series in the subcontinent, dismissed his opposite number, Wihan Lubbe. Piedt breached Lubbe's defences to clean bowl the Dragons captain for 13.

Piedt was the pick of the bowlers for the Knights with a single wicket for three runs in three overs. The other wicket-takers, Van Dyk and Pollard, had higher economy rates of 2.15 and 3.12, respectively.

Knights: Isaac Dikgale, Lesego Senokwane, Garnett Tarr, Dian Forrester, Gihahn Cloete (wk), Patrick Botha, Matthew Pollard, Aaron Phangiso, Dane Piedt (capt), Malusi Siboto, Johannes van Dyk.

DRAGONS: Matthew Kleinveldt, Rubin Hermann, Lesiba Ngoepe, Raynard van Tonder, Wihan Lubbe (capt), Ruan de Swardt, Meeka-eel Prince (wk), Migael Pretorius, Kerwin Mungroo, Achille Cloete, Odirile Modimokoane