The Knights won the toss in the first Qualifier and invited the visitors from East London to have a bat first. The Iinyathi, who beat the Knights by 4-wickets during the round-robin stage, posted 140/7 in their allotted 20 overs with Jan Coetzer top-scoring with 33 not out off 24 balls, Wian Ruthven scored 25 off 17, and Jaso Niemand chipped in with 19 off 22.

The left-arm spinner, Mbongi Mhlanga, was sublime with the ball for the Knights with 3/20 in his four overs, while Reuben du Toit took 2/33 in his 4.

In reply, the Knights and in particular Jacques Snyman, started their innings like a house on fire with 36 runs off 24 balls before he was caught and bowled by Lihli Sizani with the score on 48 in 4.3 overs.

Du Toit scored 12 runs before being caught in the deep off the bowling of Thozama Totana.

Reuben du Toit. Photo: Morgan Piek

Gihahn Cloete managed to score 14 not out off 20, while Cole Abrahams was on 8 not out when severe rain and hail forced the game to close with the Knights on 76/2 after 11.4 overs, and marginally ahead of the DLS par.

Totana was the pick of the Iinyathi bowlers with 1/6 in 3 overs, while Sizani took 1/13 in 2 overs. Molefe, with his 0/8 in 2.4 overs, managed to turn the squeeze on the Knights.

The Free State just managed to do enough to force the victory, and had Kgaudisa Molefe managed to hold on to the regulation caught and bowled attempt off Cloete, it would have been the Iinyathi smiling all the way to a home final at Buffalo Park.

Captain Malusi Siboto. Photo: Morgan Piek

The Knights will have to wait and see who they will take on in the final on Sunday. On Wednesday, the Garden Route Badgers will face the Mpumalanga Rhinos in the Eliminator set to be played in Oudtshoorn. 

The winner of this game will take on the Iinyathi on Friday in East London. That winner will then travel to Bloemfontein for the final. 

Knights coach JP Triegaardt told OFM Sport that the 15 promotion points were essential, but securing a home final was the second goal, and now it’s about going all the way. “I think you can’t ask for better than that, to be honest, it’s an amazing feeling,” said Triegaardt.

Jacques Snyman. Photo: Morgan Piek

“First of all, it was tough getting here, to be honest, but I must say there was a team collective effort from everyone, and we were all chuffed, but nothing has been achieved yet.

“We only have the 15 points for the promotion-relegation, but we still have one big game left on Sunday, and then we can obviously celebrate getting that silverware.”

Sunday’s final at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein is scheduled to get underway at 13:00.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek