Dolphins stumble against Titans
IT was third time unlucky for the Hollywoodbets Dolphins who went down by 33 runs against the Multiply Titans at Kingsmead on Sunday.
THE Hollywoodbets Dolphins suffered their third loss of their 2017 Momentum One Day cup campaign on Sunday, when they went down by 33 runs in a rain-affected game against the Multiply Titans at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead.
The Dolphins put the Titans in to bat on a tricky surface and would have been happy with their start as the Titans were restricted to 52/3 inside 15 overs. The first three wickets were shared between Rabian Engelbrecht, Rob Frylinck and Prenelan Subrayen.
Titans’ opening batsman Henry Davids threatened to play another aggressive knock against the home side until he injured his hamstring which restricted his movement and led to the in-form right-hander eventually being outfoxed by Frylinck for 34, leaving the Titans 73/4 just after the 20th over.
A healthy partnership between Albie Morkel and Farhaan Behardien then developed for the visiting team as they pulled the Titans out of a shallow hole to 144 before Morkel was bowled by a good slower ball from Frylinck for 38.
Behardien continued to score as freely as conditions allowed along with the dangerous David Wiese who compiled a destructive and decisive 37 from 25 deliveries to help the Titans to a competitive 204/8 in their allotted 40 overs.
The Dolphins’ chase was interrupted by more rain and their target was revised further when they left the field with the total on 35/2 after the eighth over. After the break the Dolphins’ target was set at 189 from 34 overs.
With the revised total and a difficult surface to contend with, chasing that total down was going to be a tough task, one that was a bridge too far for the Dolphins who eventually fell 33 runs short of the mark set.
The Dolphins were looking for a significant partnership early in the innings, however some tight bowling from Aiden Markram, who accounted for Morné van Wyk and Cameron Delport in his first two overs, put the Dolphins under pressure initially.
Sarel Erwee and Vaughn van Jaarsveld attempted to build the innings after the rain delay and put on 40 runs for the third wicket before Van Jaarsveld became Shaun von Berg’s first victim when he holed out to Tony de Zorzi for 19.
Erwee and Zondo then continued to try and pick away at the required total before the former lost his wicket when he inside edged one onto his pad before it popped up into the gloves of Heino Kuhn off the bowling of Von Berg for 38.
Zondo’s innings began to flourish with Andile Phehlukwayo at the wicket with him after Sibonelo Makhanya fell first ball. The duo rustled up a stand of 39 before Phehlukwayo was well caught by Von Berg for a brisk 25.
The Dolphins never managed to get going after that and fell from 120/6 to 155 all out as batsmen lost their wickets trying to stay in touch with the required run rate.
With that loss the Dolphins remain at the summit of the Momentum One Day Cup log with just one more round robin game in hand. They will host the VKB Knights at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead on Thursday, 23 March.
