Cape Town - The Cape Cobras had the Knights on the ropes, but couldn’t land the knockout punch on day one of their Sunfoil Series clash in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.
The visitors reduced the Knights to 178/6 before tea, but a lower-order onslaught saw the home team end on 342 all out in 79.2 overs.
Former Cobras spinner Robin Peterson (43 off 53 balls, 6x4), Shadley van Schalkwyk (43 off 88 balls, 10x4), and then the unlikely figures of fast bowlers Marchant de Lange (47 off 42, 7x4, 1x6) and Duanne Olivier (45 off 46, 9x4) took the initiative away from Paul Adams’ team.
Coach Nicky Bojé would’ve been delighted with the Knights’ resurgence, while the Cobras finished the day in 22/0.
Having lost Proteas Test seamer Vernon Philander (tooth procedure) before the game, his replacement Beuran Hendricks made the opening breakthrough when he bowled Letlotlo Sesele for one, and it was soon 9/2 as Dane Paterson had Michael Erlank caught by Zubayr Hamza.
But Knights captain Theunis de Bruyn and No 4 Pite van Biljon knuckled down and consolidated the innings. They combined for a third-wicket partnership of 99 in less than 30 overs before Paterson came back and got his second of the day, De Bruyn caught by wicket-keeper Dane Vilas for 64 off 86 balls in an aggressive innings peppered with 12 boundaries.
That was the cue for spinner Dane Piedt to make an impact after being left out of the Proteas Test squad for next month’s tour of Australia. Piedt made way for two left-armers in Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj, but got back amongst the wickets for the Cobras with a double strike.
First he got rid of Van Biljon, who was caught by Stiaan van Zyl for 55 (98 balls, 9x4) before Rudi Second was dismissed for eight as he was grabbed by Aviwe Mgijima.
The rot continued as Luthando Mtyanda was caught and bowled by Tshepo Moreki for 16, and the Knights were teetering at 178/6. But then came the fightback from Peterson and company, with the Cobras bowlers’ figures being spoilt.
Moreki ended as the leading wicket-taker with 3/83 in 15.2 overs, while Piedt, Paterson and Hendricks ended with two each.
Adams would’ve been relieved that there wasn’t another top-order collapse, as happened in both innings against the Highveld Lions last week. Despite the unavailability of veteran Andrew Puttick, captain Omphile Ramela (two not out) and new opener Matthew Kleinveldt (17 not out) survived 7.2 overs before the close.
@ashfakmohamed