Cape Town - Shadley van Schalkwyk recorded his second five-wicket haul in first-class cricket as the Knights ran through a high-profile Cape Cobras batting line-up on the first day of their Sunfoil Series clash at PPC Newlands.
Van Schalkwyk’s 5 for 45 represented his best figures in a seven-year first-class career, and included the big wickets of Hashim Amla and JP Duminy.
With Dillon du Preez and Werner Coetsee taking two wickets apiece, the Cobras were bowled out for 146 after they had won the toss and elected to bat, to which the Knights responded with 59 for one.
The Knights’ huge advantage came as a surprise given that the Cobras boasted a batting line-up with Amla, Duminy, Stiaan van Zyl as well as the veteran Andrew Puttick.
Van Zyl was dismissed in just the seventh over of the day when he left a delivery from Du Preez and saw it swing in to hit off stump.
Although Amla and Puttick appeared to have seen out the trickiest period as they batted past the drinks break, Van Schalkwyk found some away movement to have Amla caught behind in the second hour of the day.
Keegan Petersen fell in the same fashion when Van Schalkwyk returned after lunch, and in the next over Puttick was bowled by Coetsee for 32 to leave the Cobras 76 for four.
Duminy (35) attempted to lead a recovery with a patient innings, only for Van Schalkwyk to return once again and trap him lbw with a delivery that kept a touch low.
Van Schalkwyk then made short work of the tail, as the Cobras lost their last four wickets for the addition of just 13 runs.
Some sort of reply was needed with the ball, but while Dane Paterson trapped Rudi Second lbw in the first over of the Knights’ innings, Letlotlo Sesele and Michael Erlank held firm.
Sesele went to stumps unbeaten on 38, while Erlank had 15 as the Knights trailed by 87 runs with nine wickets in hand.