Knights restrict Lions to below-par total

The Itec Knights' bowling attack put on a disciplined team effort as they restricted the DP World Lions to a total of 142/7 in their CSA T20 Challenge match at the Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein, on Wednesday evening.

The home side needs 143 runs to win.

The Knights are on the hunt for a second win in a row after their victory over the Dafabet Warriors over the weekend. The home side had little control over the powerplay as Wandile Makwetu utilised the fielding restrictions in the first six overs.

The Lions opener scored a 34-ball 40 that started like a house on fire but slowed down later on. While Makwetu had no intention of letting the Knights' bowlers settle into a rhythm in the powerplay. He was consistently looking to score, going for the boundary when they delivered anything loose and slotting the ball into gaps for twos when they tightened their lines.

His two partners, Joshua Richards and Zubayr Hamza, on the other hand, chose a circumspect approach. And led to their downfall. Richards managed an 11-ball eight runs, while Hamza scored a run-a-ball eight.

The Knights' deployment of their spin twins, Aaron Phangiso and Dane Piedt, in tandem in the middle overs slowed everything down. With his style cramped, Makwetu tried to release the pressure by attacking Phangiso, the decision resulted in his dismissal.

Mitchell van Buuren was the other batter who chose to fight fire with fire. The 26-year-old played a positive knock that yielded 32 runs from 22 deliveries and his stay at the crease was cut short by Phangiso. The seasoned left-arm spinner was in outstanding form as he dismantled the visitors' top order.

The Knights' other bowlers rallied around Phangiso seeing to it that the visitors did not construct substantial partnerships. Makwetu and Richards' 34-run opening stand was their highest. The rest reached double figures, with some getting to the 20s, but were curtailed before they ran away with the game.

The home side's fielders were up to the standard in their role of supporting the bowlers. There was no better example of their outstanding work in the outfield as the two world class catches that Rilee Rossouw took. The Proteas star, who is playing his first T20 Challenge match in a while, made the third man region anoz-go area for aerial balls.

Phangiso was the pick of the Knights’ bowlers with three wickets for 26 runs in four overs. Malusi Siboto and Sithembile Langa were the other two wicket-takers with a brace each.

KNIGHTS: Rilee Rossouw, Garnett Tarr, Jacques Snyman, Tiaan van Vuuren, Dian Forrester, Gihahn Cloete (wk), Dane Piedt (c), Sithembile Langa, Aaron Phangiso, Lesego Senokwane, Malusi Siboto.

LIONS: Wandile Makwetu, Joshua Richards (wk), Zubayr Hamza, Mitchell van Buuren (C), Connor Esterhuizen, Delano Potgieter, Evan Jones, Codi Yusuf, Tshepo Moreki, Lutho Sipamla, Junaid Dawood.