Friday 27 November 2015 12:13, UK
VKB Knights earned their first win of the Ram Slam T20 in South Africa, beating bizhub Highveld Lions by 29 runs.
Reeza Hendricks hit an unbeaten 72 from 56 balls - assisted by a quick-fire 46 off 29 by Rilee Rossouw in an impressive 90-run opening stand - as the Knights set their opponents 176 to win.
The Lions got off to a fine start themselves, with Rassie van der Dussen (40 off 26) and Devon Conway (36 off 34) putting on 73 inside the first nine overs.
But the Lions lower order struggled, and the Knights held on for their first win, having started the tournament with six straight defeats.
Rossouw got the Knights of to a flier with five fours and two sixes - one of which was impressively caught one-handed in the crowd - after the Lions won the toss and chose to field first.
Aaron Phangiso (2-26) dismissed Rossouw in the 11th over and then struck again, removing Theunis de Bruyn for two, two overs later.
West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell (11) was the next to fall as the Knights innings began to falter, but Hendricks batted through the full 20 overs, and some impressive lower order striking from wicketkeeper Tumelo Bodibe (22 off nine) saw the side to 175-5.
The Lions innings followed a similar pattern as Van der Dussen clubbed four fours and a pair of sixes in a strong opening partnership with Conway, before Malusi Siboto (2-29) dismissed the latter.
Werner Coetsee (2-20) then added the crucial scalps of the in-form Alviro Petersen for one, and Van Der Dussen, as the Lions slipped to 88-3.
Andre Malan (25 off 23) and captain Thami Tsolekile (20 off 15) tried their best to recover the run-chase, but the latter's wicket - bowled by Siboto - in the 16th over all but ended the contest.
Shadley van Schalkwyk (2-33) found himself on a hat-trick later in the innings as the Lions lower-order crumbled to 146-9.
Our Ram Slam coverage continues at 12pm on Saturday with a double-header as Sunfoil Dolphins first take on VKB Knights, followed by Chevrolet Warriors against The Unlimited Titans from 4pm, both live on Sky Sports 3 HD.
