Warriors hit by a Knights’ masterclass
The Knights’ Pite van Biljon produced a batting masterclass on the final day against the Warriors and, in the end, the teams decided to settle for a draw in their 4-Day Franchise Series match at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on Thursday.
The visitors started the day on 154 for four, still 24 runs behind the Warriors’ first innings total of 457.
When the players took to the field on Thursday morning, the Warriors would have been hoping for some quick wickets to try to force a result.
But that did not happen, as Van Biljon, with a splendid 177 not out, and Andries Gous with a well-played 92, thwarted them for a session-and-a-half.
Thanks to their efforts, the Knights had reached 366 for six by 2.30pm, which gave them a lead of 188 runs.
With only one session remaining, both captains decided to call it quits and share the match points.
Van Biljon was brutal in his approach from the get-go on Thursday and bludgeoned anything that strayed off line.
It was the former Eastern Province captain’s 16th firstclass century and was a commanding performance.
So much so the Warriors were forced to give part-time slow seamer Yaseen Vallie a bowl from the Park Drive End. But the ploy worked. Vallie claimed one of the only wickets to fall on the day as Gous – who made a hundred in the Knights’ first innings – hoisted a long-hop to be caught at deep fine-leg.
He faced 189 balls and struck 12 fours and four sixes.
Van Biljon’s innings off 292deliveries included an outrageous 27 fours and five sixes.
Simon Harmer claimed the other wicket of the day, having Ryan McLaren caught by Gihahn Cloete at slip for four.
The Warriors conceded 19 fours and seven sixes in the morning session, failing to create any pressure on Van Biljon and Gous from the start.
The two Knights batsmen were able to seize on that and snuff out any chance there may have been for a home victory.
The Warriors will get a chance to make amends when the teams face each other again, this time in Kimberley next week.
● Dane Paterson completed his 11th career five-for as the Cape Cobras extended their advantage at the top of the table by securing a five-wicket win over the Dolphins on the final day of their clash in Cape Town.
The Proteas paceman claimed six for 63 in 25.3 overs to help set up a low-scoring chase of 171, with the home side reaching their target midway through the fourth afternoon to make it four wins from four.
They are now up to 99.86 points, over 30 points clear of the chasing pack.
It was another clinical performance by Ashwell Prince’s side, who began the final morning needing three wickets as the visitors resumed on 265 for seven.
Paterson got two of them, removing Keshav Maharaj (6) and Okuhle Cele (4), with Vernon Philander (1/49) claiming the wicket of innings top-scorer Dane Vilas for 72 (121 balls, 7 fours) – the Dolphins lasting just 4.3 overs more at PPC Newlands.
The chase did not go entirely according to plan for the home side with man-of-thematch Pieter Malan, who hit a century in the first innings, dismissed for a second-ball duck in the third over by Robbie Frylinck (1/4). Zubayr Hamza (7) also fell cheaply, leaving the Cobras on 20 for two.
But Janneman Malan struck 38 to lead the recovery and, even though Maharaj claimed three for 49, Kyle Verreynne’s 46 and an unbeaten 43 from Aviwe Mgijima took the logleaders to victory.