The Rhinos won the toss and elected to bat first.  The hosts never quite got going in the first innings, with Aubrey Swanepoel (51 off 87) and B Brokensha (45 off 75) producing the only contributions of note for a first innings total of 179 all out in 58.5 overs.

Tiaan van Vuuren was the most successful bowler for the Knights in the first innings, taking four wickets for 28 runs, with veteran Malusi Siboto taking two wickets. 

The rest of the Knights bowlers – Sithembile Langa, Ross Boast, Dane Piedt, and Seth Fledermaus – took a wicket each.

Knights bowler Tiaan van Vuuren. Photo: Morgan Piek

The Knights produced a powerful performance in their first innings, with the 20-year-old Ross Boast hitting 81 off 128 balls. Gihahn Cloete (35 off 39) and Ruan Haasbroek (43 off 74) also made handy contributions to the final score of 282 all out.

Themba Maupa took three wickets for the Rhinos for 55 runs, with Jon Hinrichsen and B Brokensha taking two each.

The Rhinos played a more composed second innings, scoring 239 all out with Benjamin van Niekerk the star batsman for the hosts (81 off 130 balls). Tiaan van Vuuren once again shone for the Knights, taking five wickets for 63 runs.

‘But I think overall, coming back in the second innings, we dominated and also just showed the class of certain players’

Needing only 137 to win, the Knights reached the required total with only one wicket down, and Cloete scored 93 of the required 137 runs.

After the match, Knights coach JP Triegaardt told OFM Sport they were well aware that they were going to have to be on the ball to beat the team from Mpumalanga.

“Credit to Mpumalanga for showing fight in that first innings. With ball in hand, we had a historic position of 2-70. But I think overall, coming back in the second innings, we dominated and also just showed the class of certain players,” he said.

He was also full of praise for Boast and Cloete, who both scored half-centuries during the match.

“Young Ross Boast showed tremendous character to get us over the line, scoring 82 and displaying calmness and great maturity. That’s exactly what you want in a youngster coming through. Every team needs a player with proper character to take them over the line, and that set us up to win this game by nine wickets,” he said.

“I think Gian came out really well. In the second innings, the way he dominated, the way he paced the innings, and the class he showed demonstrated the type of player he is. Overall, it’s been unbelievable,” he said.

Regardless of the outcome of the final match in the division two CSA 4-Day Series, the Knights will remain top of the points table and will be promoted to the first division of the competition.

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger cvs