KNYSNA NEWS - Knysna Cavaliers have moved back up into the SWD Premier League play-off spots courtesy of a resounding win over Union Stars 2 at Loerie Park last weekend. Plett Pioneers were scheduled to take on league leaders Pacaltsdorp United in New Horizons, but their match was abandoned due to a wet pitch.
Rain threatened to be a real damper on club cricket last week, as the heavens opened over both Knysna and Plett on Thursday and Friday, making pitch preparation difficult.
Despite covers being on both pitches, conditions were still wet when the pitches were uncovered on Saturday morning.
In Plett, the situation was unfortunately beyond the point where a match could still be played.
This meant that Pioneers and Pacaltsdorp shared points, which helped lift the Plett side off the foot of the table as Mossel Bay lost to Harlequins Forces in Oudtshoorn.
In Knysna, with some grit and determination, the ground staff were able to rescue the situation at Loerie Park.
It did mean however that the Cavaliers would play a reduced-overs match for the second consecutive week, with only 36 overs of play per innings possible.
Cavaliers captain JP Ellis won the toss, sending the visiting side from Oudtshoorn, Union Stars 2, in to bat first. With Cavaliers in fourth and Union Stars 2 in third, the Knysna outfit needed a win to regain a play-off spot.
AB van der Walt staged a crucial partnership with Chad Walker for the Cavaliers.
After a slow start, the Union Stars 2 middle order added some impetus to the innings, but the Cavaliers bowlers were still able to restrict the visitors to a score of 128 all-out.
JP Ellis and AB van der Walt led the bowling charge for Cavaliers, both taking four wickets. Francois Bonthuys contributed to the wickets tally with one of his own.
In their run chase, a couple of early wickets threatened to derail the Cavaliers' hopes of reaching the target.
However a valuable partnership between Chad Walker, who scored 54, and AB van der Walt, who scored 35*, helped steer Cavaliers home for a valuable seven-wicket bonus point victory.
The win takes Cavaliers up into third place, which is one of two play-off spots available on the log.
With four rounds of matches left, Pacaltsdorp United look set to secure first place and thereby an automatic spot in the final. This leaves second and third place, who compete in the qualifier for the second spot in the final.
Currently Union Stars 1 lie second on the log, four points ahead of Cavaliers. The Knysna side takes on log leaders Pacaltsdorp United at Loerie Park this weekend.
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