Knights beat Dolphins by eight wickets

MUMBAI: The Chevrolet Knights completed victory over the Sunfoil Dolphins at Bloemfontein on Sunday by eight wickets with more than six overs to spare.
Their target of 115 in a minimum of 35 overs was never likely to be challenging, and the massive job done by Johan van der Wath, whose career best innings of 154 swung the game in the hosts' favour after they found themselves in a parlous position on the second day, was instrumental in what turned out to be an easy win.
While remaining in third place after the weekend's fixtures, the Chevrolet Knights are still in touch with the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras, eighteen points adrift, while the Sunfoil Dolphins remain in now a much more distant fourth place on the log.
The Sunfoil Dolphins were not going to go down without a fight on the last day. Resuming still 25 runs behind with five wickets in hand, they lost Khaya Zondo who fell to Van der Wath in the eighth over of the day, but Daryn Smit was the only other casualty in the opening session.
As the day wore on, the Sunfoil Dolphins strung together four successive 50-run partnerships, but none was able to develop into a match-saving stand.
After lunch a lot was resting on the shoulders of Kyle Abbott and Calvin Savage. The pair had strung together a solid partnership in the first innings, and added 56 in 30 overs before Werner Coetsee made the breakthrough.
Abbott went in his next over for 68, and Craig Alexander lasted just two balls. Malusi Siboto finished with three wickets in the innings and seven in the match, coupled with a more than handy unbeaten 41 at number 11.
Van der Wath added two wickets for a match tally of five, coupled with his 154, and Shadley van Schalkwyk also finished with two after his first innings knock of 80.
Coetsee was the most economical bowler, going at just over two to the over while claiming two vital wickets at the end of the innings.
The Chevrolet Knights needed 115 in the final session, and waited until the tenth ball before Rudi Second opened their account with a boundary. Michael Erlank plundered three boundaries off the next, and the home side were up and running.
Craig Alexander was brought into the attack early, and responded by dismissing Erlank with his first ball but, after that, Rilee Rossouw and Second were in cruise mode.
With the match all but settled, Vaughn van Jaarsveld picked up a rare first-class wicket before captain Dean Elgar came in to apply the finishing touches.
Van der Wath was the worthy winner of the Sunfoil Man of the Match award. The Chevrolet Knights walked away with 19.38 points to the Sunfoil Dolphins haul of 5.42.