Kerwin Mungroo and Migael Pretorius held their nerve to seal a three-run victory for the Auto Investment North West Dragons over the Knights in a pulsating CSA T20 Challenge match at Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon.
The Knights, newly promoted and looking for their first win in the top-flight, needed just 11 runs from the last 12 balls but Mungroo conceded just a single and claimed a wicket in the penultimate over to put the Knights on the backfoot.
Pretorius, who helped effect two run-outs in the final over, condemned the Knights to their first defeat with the home side falling agonisingly short with Dian Forrester ending unbeaten on a well-played 46 from 37 balls.
The Dragons, who won the toss and elected to bat first, posted 144 for four after rain reduced the first innings to 18 overs thanks to a well-played 58 from 40 balls by captain Wihan Lubbe. Lubbe struck six boundaries and a six while sharing in a third-wicket stand of 91 from 75 balls with Janneman Malan (40).
The Dragons lost their openers early on with Forrester (4-0-22-2) having Rubin Hermann and Meeka-Eel Prince both back in the hut without scoring in the first over. But Lubbe and Malan contrived to restore order with a wonderful stand before Malusi Siboto (4-0-46-2) had Lubbe caught at long-on by Lesego Senokwane just before the rain came down.
Having lost an hour, the innings was reduced by two overs but Lesiba Ngoepe stuck three fours and a six from 19 balls to end unbeaten on 32 to give the Dragons something to defend.
In reply, the Knights lost Gihahn Cloete for just two, caught by Ngoepe in the deep from Duan Jansen’s bowling. Jacques Snyman struck two fours and a six from just 10 balls before being caught behind by Prince from the bowling of Jansen (4-0-30-3).
Jansen then had Patrick Botha (21) caught by Hermann in the deep, not before the lefthander struck four boundaries from just 14 balls. The Dragons seemed on a roll, especially after Jansen picked up the first three wickets, but Forrester and Senokwane (39) added 82 for the fourth wicket from only 59 balls to setup a tense finish.
In fact, when Mungroo (4-0-23-1) started the penultimate over, the Knights, who had a revised target of 150, seemed to be the favourites to win. But Mungroo had Senokwane caught behind by Prince before bowling four dot balls to Aubrey Swanepoel (1).
The final six balls saw the Knights needing 10 runs but Swanepoel and Tiaan van Vuuren (4) were run out while Forrester was left rueing not facing more balls in the penultimate over, as the home side ended on 146 for six.
TEAMS
Knights – Aaron Phangiso, Aubrey Swanepoel, Dane Piedt (c), Dian Forrester, Gerrit Snyman, Gihahn Cloete (wk), Johan van Dyk, Lesego Senokwane, Malusi Siboto, Patrick Botha, Tiaan Van Vuuren.
Auto Investments North West Dragons – Achille Cloete, Caleb Seleka, Duan Jansen, Janneman Malan, Kerwin Mungroo, Lesiba Ngoepe, Matthew Kleinveldt, Meeka-Eel Prince (wk), Migael Pretorius, Rubin Hermann, Wihan Lubbe (c).