When the coaches of the Knights and Highveld Lions spoke about their eagerness for a result wicket ahead of their Sunfoil Series match at the Diamond Oval, it’s unlikely that they envisioned one that would produce the events of day two.
Neil McKenzie (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
By the end of it, however, Knights coach Sarel Cilliers will not have been complaining after his side reduced the Lions to 29 for seven in their second innings. That left the visitors still needing another 29 runs to make the Knights bat again after Rilee Rossouw’s hard-fought century had taken the hosts to 262 and a first-innings lead of 58.
Twelve wickets had fallen on the opening day as the pitch showed variable bounce from an early stage, yet the second was even more eventful as 15 wickets went down.
The Knights began Friday’s play on 56 for two in response to the Lions’ 204, and it wasn’t long until they lost Rudi Second (28) and Gihahn Cloete. Although wickets continue to fall at the other end, Rossouw dug in under challenging conditions to score a hugely valuable 111 before he was trapped lbw by Chris Morris.
When Rossouw became the ninth wicket to go down the Knights still trailed by one run, but Corne Dry and Malusi Siboto (39 not out) swung the game back in the Knights’ favour with a last-wicket stand of 59. That momentum was carried through to the second innings, in which only Stephen Cook (10) has reached double figures thus far.
After Johan van der Wath (2 for 9) and Quinton Friend (2 for 13) had once again done the damage up front, Dry ripped through the middle order on his way to figures of 3 for 3 from 2.5 overs.
Although the Lions still have Neil McKenzie at the wicket - unbeaten on six from 35 deliveries - the road to recovery looks long and full of hazards.
Related articles
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- Sunfoil sun shines on Stephen Cook and Neil McKenzie (cricketbadger.com)
James Buttler
As the editor of World Cricket Badger he is intent on building the website to give quality coverage of the domestic game around the world.
He is also the presenter of the Cricket Badger Radio Show on Radio Yorkshire every Tuesday evening between 7-9pm UK time.
James was the full-time Media Manager at Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 2007 and 2010.
James is a published author, a writer/video contributor to many cricket publications and a complete cricket badger!
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