Another Pietersen ton leads Dolphins past Knights

Kevin Pietersen's second ton in as many games ensured Dolphins made short work of a target of 168 as they cruised past Knights to notch a nine-wicket win with 20 balls to spare. On Wednesday in a win over Lions, Pietersen took 63 balls to reach triple-figures but only needed 45 balls on Friday as Dolphins sprinted toward victory with Pietersen's unbeaten 100.

Pietersen added 135 for the second wicket with Morne van Wyk with the wicketkeeper-batsman finishing on 34 not out. This came after an opening stand of 35 between van Wyk and Cameron Delport in which Delport scored 34 of the 35 runs, the other coming courtesy of a wide, before being dismissed by Ryan McLaren. A first-innings ton by Theunis de Bruyn was in vain as Pietersen's opposite number on the Knights struck 100 off 55 balls before he was one of two wickets for Kyle Abbott. Opener Reeza Hendricks had given Knights a steady start with a run-a-ball 42 after they were asked to bat.

Titans emerged with a four-wicket win over Lions in a tricky chase of 116. Quinton de Kock top-scored for Titans with 34 but the victory was secured thanks to a 33-run seventh-wicket stand between Graeme van Buuren and Chris Morris after their side was left in trouble at 84 for 6 in the 14th over.

Aaron Phangiso took 3 for 19 to give Lions hope after a poor batting performance in which just two players reached double-figures. Captain Thami Tsolekile made 58 off 41 balls at No. 5, but received no support from the rest of the line-up and was eventually ninth man out. Chinaman bowler Tabraiz Shamsi finished with 3 for 20 while Morris and Lungi Ngidi took two wickets each.

Cape Cobras fought back with a strong rally in the field to hold on for a five-run win over Warriors in Paarl. Opener Richard Levi top-scored with 52 off 37 to lay a platform for a total of 140 for 6 after Cobras were sent in. Andrew Birch and JJ Smuts took two wickets each as Warriors used nine bowlers.

In reply, Warriors were 100 for 1 thanks to a 79-run second-wicket stand between Colin Ackermann and Colin Ingram but the wicket of Ingram unsettled the chase. Still, Warriors looked to be headed toward a win at the start of the 19th over with Ackermann at the crease on 58 and the score 124 for 2 with 17 needed for victory.

Dane Paterson then took two in two balls to start the over before a four by Ackermann off the final ball meant Warriors needed 10 off six balls. Wayne Parnell came to the rescue for Cobras, taking two wickets in three balls - the second of which was Ackermann's for 64 - with another dot in between to leave Warriors needing 10 off three with two new batsmen at the crease. A run-out followed on the next ball before the final two deliveries resulted in a two and a single by Jerry Nqolo and they fell short by five runs.