All-round Smuts leads Warriors to win

Warriors beat Knights by five wickets in East London to record their second win. Knights started brightly after choosing to bat but were tied down on a sluggish pitch as the innings progressed, and were never able to break free. Rilee Rossouw went first ball but Knights scored at a decent rate initially before Rusty Theron and the slow bowlers applied the brakes. Theron bowled Reeza Hendricks and conceded 16 from his four overs. JJ Smuts picked up 2 for 18, not allowing Knights to build any partnership of note in the middle order. Dean Elgar made a slow 38 before falling to Lundi Mbane, who gave away just 11 from three overs. Knights were unable to score big at the death, and ended on 116 for 6.

Warriors were never really in much trouble in the chase. All the top five made some contribution, Smuts top-scoring with 29. Nicky Boje did have Warriors on 61 for 3 in the 11th over, but Smuts and Ryan Bailey guided them past 100 before both batsmen fell towards the finish. Smuts went off the first ball of the last over with three needed but Davy Jacobs was around to hit the winning runs with three balls to spare.