Bosman blast lifts Knights to second spot

JOHANNESBURG: Knights opener Loots Bosman struck 91 to give Knights a thrilling eight-run victory at Titans Wednesday and second place halfway through the South African Twenty20 Challenge.

Bosman slammed five fours and five sixes off 57 balls at SuperSport Park in Centurion and fellow opener Rilee Rossouw weighed in with 48 runs as Knights reached 196-3 off 20 overs.

Titans fell just short in reply by posting 188-8 with Roelef van der Merwe smacking eight fours and two sixes in his 66 while the virtual two-runs-a-ball 48 of Albie Morkel included four sixes.

Knights are four points behind Highveld Lions after five of the scheduled 10 rounds in the mini-league first phase of the competition and one ahead of Warriors.

A 63-run partnership between wicketkeeper Adrian McLaren (36) and Englishman Samir Patel (34) steered Warriors to a six-wicket victory over Cape Cobras at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth.

Justin Otong (41) and Dane Vilas (35) were the only Cobras batsman to impress as they made 129-7 and Warriors reached 130-4 with three balls to spare with Pakistani Azhar Mahmood (2-20) the pick of the visiting bowlers.