DURBAN – Timing is everything in sport. The Dolphins will rise on Friday morning knowing that they timed their loss of form and nerve for the worst possible phase of the Momentum One-Day Cup, as they limped out of the competition in a thrilling one-wicket loss to the Knights on Thursday night.
The Dolphins seldom take the easy route to a result of significance, and they and the Knights most assuredly took all and sundry on a rollercoaster.
It was like a cup football match, with the balance of power swaying wildly from Bloemfontein to Durban, and then back again.
Eventually, the Knights’ – thanks to a 27-run alliance from their final pair – booked their place in the playoff, where they will host the Warriors on Sunday.
And yet, as they lost five wickets for 12 runs in the midst of an Imran Tahir hurricane, it looked like the Dolphins’ night. Tahir’s 4/31 return was remarkable, especially as he knew that he only had 204 runs to play with.
The Dolphins had earlier won the toss and elected to bat first, desperate to erase the memory of their effort against the Titans on Sunday.
Instead, they were confronted by some wonderful bowling upfront from the men from Bloemfontein, who knew that a win would also see them host a playoff on Sunday.
The dismissals of Vaughn van Jaarsveld (8) and Morné van Wyk (11) were down to some very good bowling by Marchant de Lange and Shadley van Schalkwyk respectively, and the Dolphins suddenly slipped to 54/4.
Sarel Erwee grafted his way to 44, but then played a shot he will wince at upon reflection.
Andile Phehlukwayo reined himself in to eke out 39, but then fell just when the platform was there for him to start expressing himself.
Robbie Frylinck (36) and Prenelan Subrayen (25) lifted the hosts to 204, but one had the nagging sense that it wasn’t enough.
Any team with Tahir in tow will never completely give up the ghost, and one wonders if skipper Khaya Zondo would have been better served in keeping the Proteas leg-spinner on for his full haul in one go.
At 73/5, with the dangerous David Miller back in the hut, the Knights were there for the taking.
Instead, Zondo held him back, and the Knights seized on the release of pressure by taking 20 off the next two, Tahir-free overs.
What a game. Stuttering finish to campaign for Dolphins, who limped to the finish after leading the pack for so long. Timing is alles. Alles
— lungani zama (@whamzam17) March 23, 2017
In a game of fine margins, 20 runs was a chasm. By the time Tahir came back, things had changed. He did strike again, naturally, and the Knights then tried their damnedest to trip themselves up.
At 180/9, after a horrible slash across the line from the experienced Dillon du Preez, the Dolphins were the favourites again. Van Wyk could have ended the match had he thrown a mitt at Sammy Mofokeng’s edge, but he blinked, and missed it.
Mofokeng, batting at last-man jack, somehow smeared 17 to get the Knights close.
And then, after a rash of slashes, hoicks and heaves, De Lange drilled a straight drive of purity to the fence, and raised a fist of relief.
The Dolphins, to a man, sunk. They were out of time.