The 23-year-old Dian Forrester enjoyed a dream debut for the ITEC Knights on Saturday during their 12-run win over the Garden Route Badgers in Oudtshoorn during round of the CSA One-Day Cup.

The Knights lost the toss and were asked to bat first in the Division 2 clash in the Little Karoo, but a brilliant ton by Forrester and stellar fifty by Clayton Bosch lead the visitors from Bloemfontein to 312/8 in their allotted 50-overs.

Forrester, who was playing in his first-ever List A at senior level, blasted 128 runs off exactly 100 balls. The young allrounder struck nine fours and hit eight sixes. He reached his 50 with a six, while the runs for his maiden century also came off a maximum.

Bosch in turn finished on 64 not out, with his innings being more patient and he faced 71 balls and his four fours and two sixes.

With balls Forrester also impressed with the ball by bagging six wickets, which included a hat-trick, for the cherry on the cake for the debutant. The youngster from Pretoria, who has previously played for Tuks, took 6/48 in 8 overs as the Badgers were bowled out for 300 runs in 49 overs.

Jean du Plessis scored 100-runs for the Badgers, while Ryan Terblanche scored 98 and Kelly Smuts chipped in with a fine knock of 65-runs. There were the only Badgers batters to score more than 6-runs in the innings.

Bosch in turn finished with figures of 2/51 in 9 overs, while Tiaan van Vuuren and the captain Aubrey Swanepoel each bagged a win as well.

The Knights coach, JP Triegaardt, told OFM Sport that Forrester certainly adds a lot of value and his debut was something special indeed.

“I think Dian is an unbelievable young cricketer from Pretoria that we've managed to rope into our setup,” said Triegaardt.

“He adds a lot of value with both bat and ball and gave an excellent knock with the bat to get us a total of 312.

“We really needed something at the end to pull it back where we needed six wickets and Forrester once again produced the magic, this time with the ball. He took a hat-trick and got six wickets.

“He is a very exciting young cricketer and I'm just glad we got over the line in our first game of the season.”

The Knights will be in action again on Tuesday when the host South Africa U19 at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport