OLI Hairs again demonstrated his big-hitting prowess as Eastern Knights took another step closer to defending their Tilney T20 Blitz title with an emphatic eight-wicket win over Western Warriors at The Grange.
The visitors went into the clash hoping to build on Thursday’s morale-boosting success against Cally Highlanders twenty-four hours earlier.
And, having posted 168-6, they may well have felt they were in the game at the halfway stage.
However, Hairs, the leading run scorer during the Knights successful Pro50 campaign earlier in the summer, had other ideas.
In what was almost a one-man-band display the left-hander raced to an extraordinary 115 not out as the Edinburgh-based boys completed victory with seven overs to spare.
Hairs, having lost opening partner Gordon Goudie early, caught by Craig Young off Niall Alexander, dominated a second wicket stand with Hayes can der Berg who was no slouch himself, scoring 32 from 25 balls before falling to Ross Lyons.
However, by then Hairs had reached his century and the Grange player went on to finish the game in style, having smoked fifteen boundaries and seven huge maximums.
None of the visiting bowlers were spared punishment, all recording economy rates in double figures.
Earlier, Mo Awais led a sprightly batting effort from the Warriors, hitting 65 from 47 balls with six boundaries and two sixes while Rory Kleinveldt offered hard-hitting support with a 25-ball 46 featuring four maximums before becoming one of Goudie’s three victims.
All of it, though, was overshadowed by Hairs’ heroics.
