Knights snatch unlikely win

Port Elizabeth - The Warriors committed batting suicide to hand the Knights a 13-run victory in their T20 Challenge cricket fixture at St George's Park, Port Elizabeth, on Friday night.

Knights left-arm seamer Jandre Coetzee was the chief destroyer of the Warriors as he helped his team defend their modest total of 127.

Coetzee varied his pace with great effect to claim three wickets for seven in his four overs to help his side gain four log points in their pursuit for the play-offs.

The Warriors looked set for a comfortable run-chase at 62 for one wicket early in the ninth over with Colin Ingram in imperious form. Ingram smashed 53 off 36 balls with seven fours and a six.

He looked in complete control until a misunderstanding with Johan Botha saw him run out attempting a second run that was never on.

Botha fell to spinner Werner Coetsee off the very next delivery as the Warriors slipped into panic mode.

Seamer Coetzee dismissed Craig Thyssen and Wayne Parnell two overs later, after earlier claiming the wicket of Jon-Jon Smuts off the first ball of the innings.

With that, the Warriors' run-chase fell apart as they were limited to 114 for eight.

Earlier, offspinner Johan Botha and seamer Andrew Birch shared four wickets as the Knights struggled to 127 for eight off their 20 overs.

Botha took two wickets for only 18 runs in his four overs as the Knights limped to 127 for eight in their 20 overs.

He missed the Warriors' first six matches in the tournament because of international duty with the Proteas in New Zealand.

Birch also enjoyed success and was even more economical, taking two wickets for only 10 in his three overs.

The Knights, having won the toss earlier, got off to a flyer thanks to some lusty hitting from Morne van Wyk (18) and Rilee Rossouw (20) with 31 runs off the first four overs.

Their explosive stand was, however, ended by Makhaya Ntini when Van Wyk attempted to hit a second consecutive six off the former South African fast bowler only to sky the ball to Smuts at cover.

Rossouw was the next man out as he was well caught by Ingram at midwicket off the bowling of Wayne Parnell.

It was the decision to bowl three spinners which put the skids on the Knights innings.

Botha and Nicky Boje tied the Knights down in the middle and it was left to Obus Pienaar to nurse his side to their total with 39.