Knights bag their first win
by Ant Sims 23 December 2012, 17:10
The Chevrolet Knights claimed their first victory in the Sunfoil Series when they beat the Sunfoil Dolphins by eight wickets at Chevrolet Park in Bloemfontein on Sunday.
Full Scorecard– Knights v Dolphins
The match looked like it could go down to the wire when the visitors, who stuttered in their first innings as they were bowled out for 221, recovered well in their second innings, setting the hosts 115 to win with a session left to play on the final day.
The Dolphins resumed day four with Khaya Zondo and Daryn Smit at the crease with their side on 252 for five, just 25 runs behind the Knights.
Zondo was dismissed early in the morning session, caught by Rilee Rossouw off the bowling of Johan van der Wath for a solid 61 off 176.
Smit went on to notch up his 50 with Abbott digging in at the other end as the Dolphins erased the deficit and started to build a slender lead.
Smit fell shortly before lunch, after adding 52 off 133 balls, when he was caught by Werner Coetsee to become Shadley van Schalkwyk's second scalp.
Calvin Savage joined Abbott at the crease and the two survived until the lunch break with the Dolphins 60 runs ahead and three wickets in hand.
Savage dug in for 21 off 90 balls before he was dismissed by Coetsee and Abbott chipped in with 68 off 149 before he became Coetsee’s second victim of the innings.
The visitors were eventually all out for 391 and while the target of 115 might have seemed awkward, the Knights made light work of the chase, despite the Dolphins managing an early breakthrough.
Craig Alexander dismissed Michael Erlank for 14, but Rudi Second knuckled down for 48 off 74 to put the hosts on course for victory before he was dismissed by Vaughan van Jaarsveld.
Rossouw and Dean Elgar, however, saw their side home with ease as the former contributed an unbeaten 39 off 74 and Elgar did the rest with nine off 15 to hand the hosts their first win in the competition.
Report Day 1
Report Day 2
Report Day 3
Teams:
Knights: Dean Elgar (capt), Michael Erlank, Rilee Rossouw, Rudi Second (wkt), Ryan Bailey, Obus Pienaar, Werner Coetsee, Dillon du Preez, Johan van der Wath, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Malusi Siboto.
Dolphins: Divan van Wyk, Imraan Khan, Jonathan Vandiar, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Khaya Zondo, Cody Chetty, Daryn Smit (capt/wkt) Kyle Abbott, Calvin Savage, Mthokozisi Shezi, Craig Alexander.
