Johannesburg – Fast bowler Wayne Parnell provided a reminder of his one-day credentials as he masterminded a stunning turnaround that gave the Warriors an 11-run victory over the Knights at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley on Saturday.
Having confined the Warriors to 242 for eight in their 50 overs, thanks to some tidy bowling from Tumi Masekela (three for 33), the Knights looked on course to chase down their target until Parnell twice made key breakthroughs to bowl the Knights out for 231 in 45.1 overs.
First, with the Knights cruising at 168 for four, Parnell bowled national teammate Ryan McLaren, had top scorer Pite van Biljon caught behind for 67 and dismissed Nicky Boje as the home side fell from 168 for four to 176 for seven.
Then, after Werner Coetsee and Quinton Friend had carried the Knights to within 14 runs of victory with a 53-run stand for the eighth wicket, Parnell returned to dismiss both batsmen in his final over and finish with the remarkable figures of six for 51.
Having been picked in the Proteas squad for the upcoming five-match ODI series against Pakistan, Parnell's performance on Saturday will have been noted by the selectors as the left-armer aims to add a 28th ODI cap to his name after more than a year out of the 50-over side.
The Warriors total owed plenty to another man pushing for further honours at international level - Colin Ingram, whose classy 79 from 102 balls guided the visitors out of trouble after Masekela had reduced them to 20 for two in the 10th over.
Ingram eventually holed out to cow corner off the bowling of Boje, but Christian Jonker (44) and Simon Harmer (42 not out from 30 balls) helped the Warriors to a defendable total. – Sapa