East London – The Warriors triumphed for only the second time in six matches when they successfully chased down a target of 147 to beat the Knights by eight wickets in their domestic T20 match at Buffalo Park on Friday night.
After 10 overs, the Warriors were virtually halfway to their target, being 74 for one wicket.
With five overs left the Warriors needed 41 at just over eight an over, but some tight bowling by Andre Russell meant that 20 were needed in the last two overs.
But Christiaan Jonker struck Shadley van Schalkwyk for a four followed by a six which just cleared the long-on boundary, and the Warriors needed six off the last over with eight wickets in hand.
Jon-Jon Smuts calmly hit the first ball for a single, followed by a single to Jonker and then Smuts stepped out and smashed Russell for a huge six over long-on to end the match on a high note and finish with a most mature and well-paced innings.
He scored 73 not out with five boundaries and three sixes and was named as Slammer of the Day.
Warriors captain Colin Ingram made a useful 40 but the big disappointment was that England import Craig Kieswetter failed to get going and lost his wicket for 11 runs.
Earlier the Knights, sent in to bat after the Warriors won the toss, scored 146 for four wickets in their 20 overs.
They had West Indian import Russell to thank for their defendable total.
He came in at 73 for four in the 13th over, with Rudi Second on 32, and he proceeded to tear the Warriors attack to shreds in an entertaining innings.
Up to that point the bowlers had held the upper hand, but Russell raced to 57 not out off only 31 balls with four sixes and four fours, overtaking Second in the process.
The number three batsman played a real anchor role after three Knights wickets had fallen for 20 runs in the first four overs and he finished on 48 not out. Second and Russell added a blistering 73 runs off 46 balls in only 32 exciting minutes.
The Warriors fielded like terriers throughout the Knights innings.
Rusty Theron finished with 1-31 off his four overs. His first two overs went for nine runs and he took the important wickets of opener Gerhardt Abrahams and Bodibe but he later took a mauling from Russell.
Left-arm spinner Smuts bowled well and grabbed one wicket for 21 in his four overs. – Sapa