Boland below-par despite Roelofsen fifty

Goldrush Boland were bowled out for 141 despite Grant Roelofsen scoring his 6th CSA T20 Challenge half-century against the Knights at Boland Park in Paarl on Friday evening.

The visitors, who won the toss and asked the hosts to bat first, came back into the match strongly thanks to the spin of captain Dane Piedt (4-0-18-2) and Aaron Phangiso (4-0-20-1) after the seamers contrived to hand the advantage to Boland in the opening six overs.

The Knights’ bowlers conceded 11 wides with Roelofsen cracking eight boundaries from 38 balls. Roelofsen was gifted wide long-hops to get his innings going but it was Clayton Bosch (2-0-16-2) who made the initial breakthrough.

Bosch had Pieter Malan edging behind to wicketkeeper Gihahn Cloete for just 10 before having Gavin Kaplan snatched at mid-wicket for only four. Roelofsen and captain Clyde Fortuin (24) gave some impetus to the innings with a 49-run stand for the third wicket from only 30 balls with Fortuin striking three fours and a six from only 12 deliveries before being cleaned up by Phangiso.

Once Roelfosen reached his fifty, the innings fell apart. Roelofsen, looking to smash an over-pitched delivery from Piedt down the ground, only managed to find the bowler’s hands. Piedt then had Michael Copeland edging behind to Cloete in the same over.

Malusi Siboto (4-0-23-2) used his experience brilliantly, taking pace off the ball, claiming the wickets of Ferisco Adams (20) and Shaun von Berg (2) before Dian Forrester (2.5-0-30-3) wrapped up the innings in the final over with a hattrick, having Keith Dudgeon (5) caught in the deep, and then clean-bowling Imraan Manack and trapping Siyabonga Mahima in-front, off consecutive balls.

GOLDRUSH BOLAND: Grant Roelofsen, Pieter Malan, Clyde Fortuin (capt, wk), Gavin Kaplan, Mickey Copeland, Ferisco Adams, Keith Dudgeon, Shaun von Berg, Imraan Manack, Aya Gqamane, Siyabonga Mahima.

KNIGHTS: Jacques Snyman, Gihahn Cloete (wk), Lesego Senokwane, Patrick Botha, Dian Forrester, Garnett Tarr, Clayton Bosch, Aaron Phangiso, Dane Piedt (capt), Malusi Siboto, Johan van Dyk.