The hosts, though, without star pair of captain Jon-Jon Smuts and Sisanda Magala due to a national fitness camp, did miss their chance
Shadley van Schalkwyk and Shaun von Berg shared seven wickets as the VKB Knights reignited their 4-Day Domestic Series title prospects by toppling the second-placed Warriors in a 10-wicket win on the final day of their game in East London yesterday.
The pair claimed 4/28 and 3/83 respectively, overshadowing a battling maiden century by rising young star Matthew Breetzke in the process to secure a priceless victory at Buffalo Park.
And, with the Imperial Lions losing to the Hollywoodbets Dolphins, the result did leave the door open for those chasing like the two teams in action in the Eastern Cape.
The hosts, though, without star pair of captain Jon-Jon Smuts and Sisanda Magala due to a national fitness camp, did miss their chance.
They were always going to be in trouble after managing only 141 in their first innings and they resumed day four on the back foot already at 99/3.
That became 116/4 when spinner Von Berg cleaned up Sinethemba Qeshile for two.
Breetzke, who made 109 off 251 balls (13x4s) to complete a first ton in four-day cricket, finally found a decent partner in Lesiba Ngoepe (35) as the pair added 66 for the fifth wicket, before the same bowler again struck to remove the latter.
Wickets then fell regularly after seamer Van Schalkwyk found his groove, and even though the big 221 innings difference was erased, the home side only managed to get into a 42-run lead.
That was hardly a challenge for Grant Mokoena (23) and Raynard van Tonder (21) as they knocked off the runs in 5.3 overs to seal a big win.
