Day 2: Senokwane valiantly leads Knights into the lead

Lesego Senokwane stood tall, scoring a fine century, as he helped the Knights reach 236 for eight in the post-lunch period of day two of their CSA 4-Day Series match against the Renault Potchefstroom North West Dragons at Mangaung Oval on Friday afternoon.

The Knights lead the Dragons by four runs with two wickets in hand. They had Lesego Senokwane (127*) and Malusi Siboto (13*) at the crease at tea.

Senokwane outlasted all eight of his partners, none of whom scored more than 40 runs, on his way to an unbeaten 127 off 205 This is his sixth first-class century and he faced 193 balls to reach the 100-run mark. Senokwane is the only batter to reach three figures in the contest so far. The 27-year-old had little support in his valiant knock.

The only time Senokwane had viable support was when Aaron Phangiso was at the crease. The 27-year-old and Phangiso constructed a brilliant 86-run seventh-wicket partnership that saw the home side past the 100 and 150-run marks.

Phangiso looked like he was about to replicate his first-innings heroics from their match against Boland. The seasoned spinner scored an outstanding half-century that became the basis of their victory. However, that was not to be, as he fell for a well-played 38 from 67 deliveries.

When batting with the tail, Senokwane farmed the strike as much as possible and, fittingly, he scored the single that tied the two teams' first-innings scores. Senokwane was in the company of Siboto, growing their unbroken 39-run ninth-wicket partnership when the Knights tied with and passed the Warriors.

Migael Pretorius was the pick of the bowlers for the Knights with three wickets for 48 runs in 18 overs. Kerwin Mungroo and Odirile Modimokoane were close behind with a brace of wickets each, and Ruan de Swardt rounded off the wicket-takers with a single wicket to his name.

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