An excellent batting and bowling effort from the Knights enabled them to secure a valuable 32-run victory over the Titans in a pulsating CSA T20 Challenge match at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Sunday afternoon.
Rilee Rossouw clubbed a 32-ball 66 as the Knights, sent in to bat first by Keegan Petersen, posted a mammoth 223 for six.
In response, Aaron Phangiso’s captaincy, fielding and bowling set the tone as the Titans finished on 191 for six, denying the Knights a bonus point.
Rossouw’s innings was a delight, carting four boundaries and six maximums to all corners of the park while Jacques Snyman handed the visitors the perfect start with a blistering 44 from 18 balls, which included six fours and three sixes at the top of the order.
There were moments where the Titans’ attack looked to peg back the men from Bloemfontein with Corbin Bosch (4-0-34-1) dismissing Lesego Senokwane (15) and Dayyaan Galiem (4-0-61-1) having Snyman caught in the deep by Donovan Ferreira.
However, Rossouw continued to stroke the ball all around the park, despite losing Gihahn Cloete (12) and Garnett Tarr (15) along the way.
Cloete became Letsholo Selemela’s first T20 wicket, having the wicketkeeper-batsman caught on the fence by Lhuan-dre Pretorius.
Selemela (2-0-25-1) then claimed his first catch as well to see the back of Tarr, from the bowling of Gerald Coetzee (4-0-37-2).
Coetzee’s efforts were key as the speedster is returning from injury but the Ninja ended the day with the wicket of Tiaan van Vuuren (14), but not before Aubrye Swanepoel had clubbed five boundaries and a six to end unbeaten on 36 from only 19 deliveries, adding 20 runs from the final 10 balls of the innings with Phangiso (15 not out).
A BRIDGE TOO FAR
The Titans were facing a daunting task of becoming the first side to score more than 200 runs chasing in the CSA T20 Challenge, and the target was a bridge too far.
Pretorius (21) and Rivaldo Moonsamy (31) started well and kept up with the asking rate as the 18-year old Pretorius struck a four and two sixes but them tamely offered Phangiso a catch at mid-off from the bowling of Van Vuuren (4-0-28-1).
The Titans then lost their way somewhat, losing wickets at key moments, just as they seemed to be getting a grip on the chase.
Petersen (11) managed just one four before charging down the track to Phangiso (3-0-22-2) only to be stumped by Cloete.
Then Phangiso picked up the key wicket of Heinrich Klaasen.
The big-hitting Proteas stalwart managed just four before launching the wily spinner down the ground to Tarr, who took a good catch on the long-on fence.
Moonsamy struck four boundaries and a six but was cleaned-up by Malusi Siboto (4-0-46-2).
Ferreira (48) and Sibonelo Makhanya (34) then looked to resurrect the chase with a wonderful stand of 59 from 38 balls, but then Sithembile Langa (4-0-47-1) struck.
The right-arm medium bowler, despite conceding four sixes, stuck to the plan and was rewarded with Makhanya’s wicket, caught by Johan van Dyk in the deep.
The big-hitting Ferreira did not give up, striking five maximums and just a solitary boundary but once he was caught at deep extra-cover by Phangiso from the bowling of Siboto, the chase was over bar the shouting.
Galiem (21 not out) and Bosch (16 not out) saw out the final 11 balls with an unbroken stand of 26, denying the Knights a bonus-point.
The victory moves the Knights up the table into fifth with two games remaining, but still eight seven points behind the Titans, who drop to fourth after their second home loss in three games.
Petersen’s men will need to lick their wounds and prepare for the visit of the Auto Investments North West Dragons on Tuesday while the Knights welcome the Dafabet Warriors on Wednesday.
MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS – Dayyaan Galliem, Sibonelo Makhanya, Corbin Bosch, Donovan Ferreira, Gerald Coetzee, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Keegan Petersen (capt), Letsholo Selemela, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Tsepo Ndwandwa.
KNIGHTS – Aaron Phangiso (capt), Aubrey Swanepoel, Garnett Tarr, Gerrit Snyman, Gihahn Cloete (wk), Johan van Dyk, Lesego Senokwane, Malusi Siboto, Rilee Rossouw, Sithembile Langa, Tiaan Van Vuuren.