Heinrich Klaasen’s blistering 91 was the standout innings as the Titans crushed the Knights by seven wickets, with 21 overs remaining, in the Momentum One-Day Cup.
It was never a contest after the Knights, having been sent in to bat, were bundled out for 212 in 43 overs and Heino Kuhn had broken the back of the chase with a solid 68 off 59 balls.
Klaasen, who had taken 2-38 off seven overs, was freed to smash his 91 off 59 balls, with 11 fours and five sixes. He picked his shots, needing to run just 17.
The Titans, fresh from a commanding performance in the Ram Slam T20 series and beginning their defence of the One-Day Cup, showed their strength in depth after their top Proteas players had departed for the Test camp in Port Elizabeth.
Having been offered a run-rate of just under five an over, they were never troubled, despite the loss of Andrea Agathangelou (13) and Rivaldo Moonsamy (11) to Mbulelo Budaza.
Kuhn and Klaasen put on 86 in just over eight overs, and that, as they say, was that.
Based on Rudi Second’s fifty, the Knights were making a decent effort in setting a challenging target, when they were 110-2 after 19 overs.
David Miller was the driving force after Second had become the first of Alfred Mothoa’s two victims, with the total on 85. But when Keegan Petersen fell lbw to Tabraiz Shamsi for 38 off 47 balls, the batting lineup wilted.
There was little Miller could do as his support was systematically destroyed by the wide-ranging Titans attack.
No other batsman went past 12 until Marchant de Lange opened up to score 23 off 12 balls, with three sixes. Miller ended unbeaten on 62 off 70 balls (3×4, 2×6), when the last two wickets fell to Junior Dala in successive balls in the 43rd over.
Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
