The Eastern Cape Iinyathi fell short of silverware again this season when the Knights beat them by five wickets in the CSA One-Day Cup Division 2 final at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley on Sunday.
This was the second final lost to the same opposition, the first one being in the T20 competition in late 2025.
The loss also meant that Border’s men’s team failed to defend their 50-over title.
For the Knights, it was the final part of a well-deserved treble (T20, 4-Day and now One-Day) and promotion back to Division 1.
The Iinyathi bowlers had a modest total of 149 to defend.
Knights batters Gerrit Snyman and Gihan Cloete shifted up a gear from the get-go and didn’t let Nico van Zyl and Chad Classen find their rhythm up front in the powerplay.
Snyman was the aggressor for the Knights, with a strike rate of 128.57.
The Knights passed the 40-run mark in a hurry. But as he has been doing all campaign, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker Van Zyl pulled it back for Iinyathi.
He had Snyman caught at mid-on by Classen for 36, leaving the Knights on 49-1 after six overs.
Iinyathi captain Nathan Roux made a bowling change and introduced Thando Ntini.
That worked a treat as Ntini had Cloete caught behind by Roux for 12.
Van Zyl continued his merry way at the other end and bowled Ruben Maree in the 12th over, leaving the Knights shaky on 63-3.
At this point, Iinyathi thought they had found a gap to make some inroads.
Unlike Iinyathi, the Knights applied the strike rotation well once the new ball had worn off.
Isaac Dikgale and Ruan Haasbroek manipulated the field and built a 34-run partnership off 12 overs.
Both their wickets were picked up by Kgaudi Molefe, who was not brought into the bowling attack until after 20 overs.
Dikgale was caught at short extra cover for 21, and Haasbroek fell for 26.
Cole Abrahams accelerated matters to conclude the chase and finished with an unbeaten 33.
Earlier, the Iinyathi batting was a replica of what transpired in the round robins when the two sides met earlier in the campaign.
Their middle order tumbled like cheap deck chairs at a garage sale.
Credit has to be given to the Knights for how they mixed up the pace and spin during the middle overs after they had elected to bowl first.
Former Proteas spinner Dane Piedt engineered the downfall of the East London team, picking up figures of 4/29 in his 10 overs.
All his dismissals were similar in fashion; the Iinyathi batters played for spin to deliveries that ended up straightening, especially the righthanders.
Christiaan du Toit was trapped leg before wicket for a duck; Michael Copeland bowled for two; Alindile Mhletywa (6) was caught in the deep after a miscue; and Wian Ruthven was caught and bowled by Piedt.
Ruthven was the Lone Ranger for the Iinyathi before being outsmarted by Piedt just after reaching his fifty at the halfway stage of the innings.
He and Jason Niemand tried to reconstruct the Iinyathi and give them a decent score after a rather disastrous start.
When the two got together, Iinyathi were 52-2 in the ninth over after the departure of Lihle Sizani (23) and Nathan Roux (5) to Tiaan van Vuuren.
Niemand and Ruthven put 52 runs together, helping Iinyathi pass the hundred-run mark.
After Ruthven’s dismissal in the 23rd over with the score 104-3, Iinyathi could only manage a further 44 runs to be bowled out for 148 in the 38th over.
Daily Dispatch
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.