The Knights needed a victory to stay in the tournament following their 5-wicket loss to the Dolphins in Durban on Friday night. However, other results didn’t go their way either, with the Warriors beating the Lions by 33 runs according to the DLS method at St George’s Park in Gqeberha. 

Meanwhile, at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom, the Dolphins defeated the North West Dragons by 7 wickets according to the DLS method, moving ahead of the Knights into fourth place on the log.

Patrick Botha. Photo: Morgan Piek

Batting first at the Mangaung Oval, the Knights found themselves in early trouble after Jacques Snyman, Lesego Senokwane, Dominic Hendricks, and Seth Fledermaus lost their wickets cheaply. Patrick Botha, who scored a career-best 109* and Dian Forrester with 42, steadied the innings somewhat, but the team was eventually bowled out for 230 off the final ball of their innings.

Dayyaan Galiem was the pick of the bowlers for the Titans with figures of 3/38 in his 10 overs, while Junior Dala contributed with 2/41. Their spinners also played a crucial role, with Roelof van der Merwe (1/31), Schalk Engelbrecht (1/36), and Tsepo Ndwandwa (0/15) making life difficult for the Knights’ batters.

The Titans’ run chase got off to a shaky start as they lost the dangerous Lhuan-dré Pretorius and Rivaldo Moonsamy cheaply, leaving them at 22/2 after 4.3 overs. However, a 127-run partnership for the third wicket between captain Neil Brand and former Knight Keegan Petersen set the stage for Dewald Brevis to take control.

Dominic Hendricks and Junior Dala. Photo: Morgan Piek

Brand was dismissed for 66 with the score at 129 in the 28th over, briefly giving the Knights a glimmer of hope. But Brevis arrived at the crease and unleashed a brutal display of power-hitting, smashing an unbeaten 83 off just 38 balls to secure a bonus-point win for the Titans.

Brevis struck eight fours and seven sixes, including one that travelled well over 100 metres. Petersen finished unbeaten on 59, and together, he and Brevis put on an unbroken 107-run partnership for the fourth wicket, guiding the Titans to victory in just 38.2 overs.

For the Knights, left-arm seamer Tiaan van Vuuren was once again the standout bowler, finishing with 2/44 in his eight overs, while Forrester chipped in with 1/31 in five overs.

Speaking to OFM Sport, Botha admitted it was a disappointing end to their 50-over campaign but stressed the need to shift focus to the remaining 4-Day Series fixtures to avoid relegation.

“I think the wicket got better as the game went on, but credit must go to the way they batted, bowled, and even fielded,” a disappointed Botha said.

Keegan Petersen and Dewald Brevis. Photo: Morgan Piek

“Roelof was outstanding in the field, as always. The result the other night was tough to take – we were in a strong position – but in both games, they had crucial partnerships that got them over the line.

“The four-day games are coming up now, and they’re going to be very important for us. We need to put in the work and focus on those matches.”

Reflecting on his stunning innings, Brevis said he was pleased to contribute to the team’s success.

“It’s always great when you can do something special for the team. Cricket is a team sport, and while you can’t win a game alone, you can add value to help get the job done,” Brevis said.

“Our guys bowled really well, and there were other important knocks in between, so it was a team effort. I just tried to play my part, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.”

The Titans will now face the Warriors in the Qualifier on Wednesday at SuperSport Park in Centurion, with the winner advancing to the final against Boland.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cg