Boland edge Knight in last-ball thriller while Warriors claim first win

Dafabet Boland’s reputation for producing Super Over thrillers nearly came into play again on Day five of the YesPlay Pro20 Cup, as the last season’s runners-up held their nerve to edge Flexbrands Knights by five wickets in a dramatic last-ball finish in Paarl.

The result saw Boland begin their white-ball campaign with a win, while Dafabet Warriors also claimed their first victory of the tournament. The match between CSA High Performance and Tuskers in Pretoria was abandoned due to inclement weather.

Match 10 of the competition saw Boland chasing 160 for victory after opting to bowl first under lights. Cole Abrahams and George van Heerden provided the newly promoted Knights with a strong platform, scoring 66 and 53 respectively to help their side post a competitive total.

In reply Gavin Kaplan’s half century helped the home team get closer to the target but losing partners at the other end made it a nervy finish for them.

The dismissal of Jhedli van Breisies in the final over appeared to have swung the contest in the Knights’ favour. However, three runs from the penultimate delivery, with Ferisco Adams on strike, left Boland needing a boundary from the final ball to seal victory.

Kaplan duly delivered, finding the boundary to secure a thrilling five-wicket victory.

Earlier in the day, the Warriors bounced back from their opening-day defeat to North West Dragons with a 35-run victory over Wenbro Impalas at NMU Oval.

Winning the toss and batting first, the Warriors made a steady start through Jordan Hermann and Sibonelo Makhanya, who put on 67 for the opening wicket before Makhanya was dismissed for 26.

Hermann continued to anchor the innings, adding another important partnership with captain Matthew de Villiers before being dismissed for 70. JP King’s 29 helped the Warriors reach 175/4 from their 20 overs.

The Impalas mounted a spirited chase, led by captain Ernest Kemm’s 63 from 48 deliveries but Thomas Kaber’s four-wicket haul proved decisive.

The spinner finished with 4/25 from his four overs as the Warriors secured their first points of the tournament.

The results see both Boland and Warriors get off the mark in the YesPlay Pro20 Cup, while the Knights and Impalas remain winless.

Day six features two fixtures, with Hollywoodbets Dolphins hosting Northern Cape Heat in Durban, while Mpumalanga Rhinos travel to Benoni to face World Sports Betting Eastern Storm.