Knights slug it out for par-score

The Knights fought through some difficult times to reach a par-score of 157-7 against World Sports Betting Western Province in a crucial CSA T20 Challenge match at World Sports Betting Newlands in Cape Town on Friday evening.

Having won the toss and electing to bowl first in a chilly Mother City, the home side failed to make an impression with the ball as Jacques Snyman (28) and Garnett Tarr (15) added 37 runs for the first wicket from 29 balls.

It took a patient and well-crafted over from captain Beuran Hendricks (4-0-28-2) to work out the wicket of Tarr, bowling four dot balls before having Tarr edging behind to Daniel Smith.

The loss of Tarr’s wicket did not detract from the visitors' efforts.

Snyman and Lesego Senokwane (25) continued the steady pace of scoring at a run-a-ball, as the second wicket realised 28 runs from 25 balls.

Madness then ensued as Snyman, who had struck five boundaries from 21 balls, turned for a second run but an excellent throw from George Linde at long-off saw Snyman short of his ground at Smith’s end.

Senokwane, who was dropped by Valentine Kitime when on 18, fell shortly thereafter, driving a ball from spinner Kyle Simmonds (4-0-19-1) straight back to the bowler before Aubrey Swanepoel (1) edged Mthiwekhaya Nabe (2-0-15-1) to Smith behind the stumps.

Debutant Seth Flerdermaus struck one almighty six from 12 balls but was cleaned up by Wesley Bedja (4-0-34-2), who then had Patrick Botha (0) caught by Hendricks in the covers the very next ball.

All the while, Dian Forrester tried valiantly to up the run rate.

Forrester struck two fours and a six from 26 balls but was then caught and bowled by Hendricks, top-edging the left-arm seamer into the night sky.

At 133-7, the visitors seemed as if they were going to fall well short of the 150-run mark.

But Tiaan van Vuuren (15 not out) and captain Aaron Phangiso (13 not out), struck 24 runs from 13 balls to give their a side something to bowl at.

Phangiso struck his first ball for six, then his second for four while Van Vuuren managed two boundaries from his 11 balls.

WORLD SPORTS BETTING WESTERN PROVINCE – Daniel Smith (wk), Jonathan Bird, Valentine Kitime, Eddie Moore, Mihlali Mpongwana, George Linde, Abdallah Bayoumy, Kyle Simmonds, Beuran Hendricks (capt), Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Wesley Bedja.

KNIGHTS – Seth Fledermaus, Garnett Tarr (wk), Lesego Senokwane, Jacques Snyman, Aubrey Swanepoel, Tiaan van Vuuren, Dian Forrester, Patrick Botha, Malusi Siboto, Sithembile Langa, Aaron Phangiso (capt).