Lions need 334, Knights need 10 wickets
by Bruno Dunn 02 February 2013, 18:12
The Chevrolet Knights posted a second innings total of 257 to set the bizhub Highveld Lions an unlikely 387 runs for victory in their Sunfoil Series match at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley on Saturday.
The Lions opening pair of Stephen Cook and Dominic Hendricks saw off an awkward 19 overs to reach 53 for no loss at the close of day three, still needing a further 334 runs to claim victory .
Obus Pienaar scored a fantastic 58 and Johan van der Wath hit a brilliant 55 with the lower order to put the Knights into a dominant position in the match. Ryan Bailey (45) and Gihahn Cloete (33) also contributed towards the team’s total.
With the Knights leading by 168 overnight, Cloete and Bailey contributed a valuable 52-run partnership in the first hour to help the home side extend their lead by 82 runs in the first session of the day and went into lunch on 121 for three.
They looked to increase the run-rate in order to be able to declare their innings. Bailey was first to be dismissed in the post lunch session when he was clean bowled by Hardus Viljoen. Sixteen runs later, Viljoen struck again, this time trapping Patrick Botha LBW for three.
Werner Coetsee joined Pienaar at the wicket but only managed four runs before he was run out in an attempt to score quick runs. Johan van der Wath and Pienaar took the home side into tea.
In the final session, Pienaar and Dillon du Preez (5) were both trapped LBW by Imran Tahir as the Knights found themselves 239 for eight. The innings finally came to an end when Van der Wath was caught by Morris from a Tahir delivery.
Tahir (3-42) and Viljoen (3-93) were the pick of the bowlers.
Report Day 1
Report Day 2
CHEVROLET KNIGHTS: RS Second (wk), GL Cloete, JJ van der Wath (capt), RR Rossouw, RT Bailey, AJ Pienaar, P Botha, WL Coetsee, D du Preez, MP Siboto, SC van Schalkwyk
BIZHUB HIGHVELD LIONS: SC Cook (capt), DA Hendricks, T Bavuma, ND McKenzie, Z de Bruyn, TL Tsolekile (wk), WA Deacon, BJ Pelser, CH Morris, GC Viljoen, Imran Tahir
