Kruger, de Lange help Knights open with win

Knights 184 for 8 (Kruger 74, Paterson 3-40) beat Cape Cobras 146 (Petersen 39, de Lange 3-17, Kruger 2-30) by 38 runs
Scorecard

Knights opened South Africa's domestic T20 season with a strong batting performance to derail Cape Cobras by 38 runs in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Patrick Kruger top scored with a 49-ball 74 as Knights posted 184 for 8 after being sent in to bat. Marchant de Lange's early strikes crippled Cobras, who were eventually bowled out for 146 in 17.2 overs. In a chase where they needed at least one batsman with a substantial score, the highest was Keegan Petersen's 39.

In comparison, Knights were driven by partnerships, none more important than the 72-run opening stand in 8.5 overs between Kruger and Rudi Second. The wickets of Second and David Miller in quick time raised hopes of a turnaround. But Knights were driven by cameos from Diego Rosier (12-ball 27) and de Lange (11-ball 22) that helped them score 69 off the last seven overs. Amid the carnage, Dane Paterson picked up three wickets, while George Linde and Jason Smith picked up two wickets apiece.

In reply, Cobras lost three of their top four - Richard Levi, Cebo Tshiki and Justin Ontong - inside five overs. Kieron Pollard's dismissal for 5 put more pressure on the middle order. Only Petersen and Linde made 30-plus scores, but by then the chase was all but over.

Linde was the penultimate batsman to be dismissed in the 18th over. De Lange picked up three wickets, including that of Levi after he started briskly with four fours and a six, while Kruger took two.