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Potchefstroom - The Lions opened their MTN40 campaign with a nail-biting three-wicket win over the Knights in Potchefstroom on Sunday.
Needing 20 runs off the last over, Robbie Frylinck hit the first two balls for six and, after running two, hit another six to reach the target of 260 with a ball to spare.
The Knights, put in to bat, had made 259 for eight from their 40 overs.
The Lions would have had no excuses had they lost the match as they faced an extra three overs courtesy of wayward bowling from the Knights who gave away 18 wides.
A solid fourth-wicket partnership of 73 from Neil McKenzie, who made 33, and Zander de Bruyn, who smashed 52 at a run a ball, formed the backbone of the Lions' innings.
Richard Cameron and captain Alviro Petersen also made valuable contributions, with 52 and 49 respectively.
However, it was Frylinck's unbeaten 23 which secured the victory as the Lions appeared to waver towards the end.
Earlier, the Knights had got off to the worst possible start when Morne van Wyk had his middle-stump removed by Ethan O'Reilly with the first ball of the match.
Just two overs later, the visitors found themselves at 17 for two after Reeza Hendricks got a touch to wicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile, having attempted to smack O'Reilly through the covers.
Rilee Rossouw and Dean Elgar consolidated and together they put on 80 runs for the third wicket before Paul Harris broke the partnership, catching Elgar off his own bowling for 30 runs.
Rossouw went on to make his third first-class century, contributing 102 off 103 balls including 12 fours and a six.
It was one big sweep too many when Harris took his second wicket as Rossouw skied the ball to Zander de Bruyn, having added only two more runs to his ton.
The catch of the match was taken by De Bruyn off his own bowling when Johan van der Wath hit a powerful low shot and the bowler took it with one hand diving to his left.
Ryan McLaren chipped in with an unbeaten 49 for the Knights, while O'Reilly was the most economical bowler for the Lions after an excellent opening spell. He finished with two wickets for 33 runs off his seven overs.
