BLOEMFONTEIN: The 2025/26 Division 2 4 Day Series reaches its climax with Eastern Storm and the Flexbrands Knights preparing to contest a highly anticipated final, with silverware ambitions on the line at the Mangaung Oval starting on Friday.
Both sides arrive in strong form after consistent campaigns that have separated them from the rest of the field. The Knights topped the standings with five wins from six matches, remaining unbeaten and securing one draw along the way, a record that underlines their dominance and resilience.
Eastern Storm, meanwhile, built their run to the final on three victories, one defeat and a draw, highlighted by several convincing wins including an innings victory over Northern Cape Heat and a commanding result against Garden Route Badgers.
For the Knights, the final represents more than just a trophy. The Bloemfontein-based side are eager to claim their second title of the season as they push for a return to Division 1. They beat Eastern Cape Iinyathi by 11 runs in the T20 Knockout final earlier in the season.
Their red ball campaign has been driven by a balanced squad featuring reliable top-order contributions and a disciplined bowling attack capable of winning matches in all conditions.
Gihahn Cloete has led the way with the bat scoring 533 runs through the campaign. He has amassed 533 runs from his ten innings with a top score of 130 not out and an average of 76. Jurie Snyman has been the best Storm batter this season with 401 runs and a top score of 107.
With the ball, Ernest Kemm has been far and above the best bowler in the division. The Storm left-arm spinner has taken 40 wickets from eleven innings with five five-wicket hauls and best figures of 6/55. He has taken nine more wickets than the second-best bowler in Division 2.
Knights seamer Johannes van Dyk has been their best bowler with 24 wickets while spinner Dane Piedt has bagged 23 wickets from his eight innings in the competition.
Looking at how things shaped up in the clash between the sides this season, the Knights comfortably beat the Eastern Storm by eight wickets early in the season.
The Bloemfontein-based outfit bowled the Storm out for just 59 in their first innings and managed to control a low-scoring match to only require 31 runs in the fourth innings to win.
With both teams boasting strong form and contrasting styles, the final promises to be a compelling contest between consistency and momentum. For the Knights, victory would represent a significant step toward promotion ambitions, while Eastern Storm have the opportunity to crown an impressive campaign with silverware.
Going into what promises to be an exciting clash, CSA Executive for Domestic Cricket Edward Khoza is looking forward to seeing how both teams fair.
“Despite being first and second on the log, Knights and Eastern Storm have been the best teams in the competition and deserve to meet in what promises to be an entertaining final.
“We have seen some brilliant performances across the Division 2 4-Day Series so far and the final is another fantastic opportunity for players to put their hands up and perform for their respective teams.
“We wish the Knights and the Eastern Storm all the best for the final and we are looking forward to five days of hard-fought red ball cricket,” Khoza added.
Source: cricket.co.za
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