Obakeng Meletse
RYAN Rickelton goes back to back as the Lions go three in a row and tighten grip on second position.
The Lions coming from a dominant 132-runs-win over Western Province put up another dominant showing beating the Dolphins by seven wickets.
With the Lions needing 99 runs to win in nine overs, Rickelton (53 off 23 balls, 3x4, 4x6) was out the blocks early continuing from where he left off against Province as he got himself going with 19 runs of Eathan Bosch’s first over.
Rickelton opened the batting with Reeza Hendricks (18 off nine balls) who played second fiddle in their 59-runs-partnership. The pair ensured the Lions kept wickets intact as they needed to score at 10 runs an over with the powerplay only for three overs.
Ortinel Baartman got Rassie van der Dussen out with the Lions needing 12 runs to win off 10 balls caught by Grant Roelofsen for 14 for some late scare. Rickelton with Temba Bavuma ensured that there were no late heroics from the men from KZN winning with four balls left.
Bryce Parson’s short but entertaining innings of (36 off 13 balls (5x4 and 6x2) was overshadowed by what seemed like a serious knee injury with the Dolphins leading run scorer stretchered off the field by medics.
The outfield was still wet with all the rain in Johannesburg, and with batters pushing for two’s putting fielders under pressure, Parsons chasing in from the boundary attempted to slide to get the ball in quickly, but his foot got stuck in the wet outfield and that was the match done for him and the Dolphins will hope not the season.
Parsons got the Dolphins up to a good start hitting 36 runs off the first two overs as rain was dictating terms at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.
While play got underway with a fine drizzle in the air, it was raining boundaries with Dolphins opener latching on to anything tight or loose form the Lions bowlers.
Cody Yusuf 3-15 was the star of the Lions bowling innings and was responsible for slowing down the scoring after he dismissed Parsons with the first ball of his spell.
Roelofsen (27 off 16 balls) got himself going with a massive six over mid-wicket after he was dropped by Nqaba Peter off his bowling while on three. The six was followed by another drop by Bavuma who mistimed his jump at mid off.
Bavuma redeemed himself with a brilliant run out of Andile Phehlukwayo without facing a ball attempting to steal a run with the ball quickly reaching Bavuma at the gully area.
For that one Bavuma was lightning quick getting the ball to Rickelton who got Phehlukwayo on his way for a duck.
Nqaba Peter 0-13 and Bjorn Fortuin 1-19 had good outings with the ball.