Cape Town - Reeza Hendricks defied the Cape Cobras’ attack for five hours for the second time in the match to earn the Knights a nail-biting draw on the final day of their SuperSport Series match at Newlands on Sunday.

Full scorecard: Cobras v Knights

Full scorecard: Dolphins v Lions

The Knights still had three wickets in hand although they trailed by eight runs overall when time was called.

It is a result that means the competition will go down to this week’s final round of fixtures with both the Cobras and the second-placed Titans needing to go all out for victory. Had the Cobras beaten the Knights then it would have been difficult for the Titans to haul them in.

The Cobras are away to the  Highveld Lions at the Wanderers Stadium while the Titans are at home to the Dolphins at SuperSport Park. With both matches being played in close geographical proximity neither side should suffer any disadvantage from the weather.

The Cobras must have fancied their chances when they took the second new ball with 10 overs still to be bowled and three wickets required. But the Knights had two cool and experienced customers at the crease in Ryan McLaren and Johan van der Wath and they held out to the end.

The Cobras used all three their spinners in partnership with Philander but to no avail. The latter took two of the seven wickets to fall to given him nine in the match to earn the consolation prize of being named SuperSport Series Man of the Match.

Hendricks was the other contender, having made made 124 in the first innings and 82 in the second.

The exciting finish rather obscured Johann Louw’s achievement of scoring his second first-class century before Justin Kemp declared.

Neil McKenzie completed his second century of the match to earn the Lions a draw against the Dolphins at Kingsmead.

McKenzie (101 not out off 182 balls, 10 fours) enabled the Lions to declare at 268/6, setting the Dolphins a token target of 210 in 22 overs. The home side played out time at 50/1.