Rain robbed the Knights of almost certain victory over a fortunate Dolphins team in the final match of the Ram Slam T20 Challenge triple-header at Kingsmead last night.
Having dismissed the Dolphins for 82 in 18.5 overs, intermittent rain tormented the frustrated Knights, who were unable to get on the field to knock off the simple target.
Two points apiece was an unjust allocation, but the Dolphins will probably still have to win their last four matches for a chance of making the play-offs.
A crowd of 5 000, who had waited patiently for their team to take the field, were rewarded with a display of brainless, arrogant cricket from the home batsmen.
Although the Knights, led by fiery West Indian Andre Russell, bowled well to dismiss the hosts for their lowest T20 total, the Dolphins’ batsmen played a succession of stupid shots to hand them the majority of their scalps.
Of the top order, only skipper Morne van Wyk, beaten for pace and defeated by a superb delivery by Russell, can be absolved as the Dolphins dived to an ignominious 12/5 in the first five overs.
The home side entered the match without Dwayne Bravo and Cody Chetty (hamstring injuries). They were replaced by Divan van Wyk and paceman Rabian Engelbrecht, which made the batting look even more frail.
Instead of a sensible start the top order committed cricketing suicide, lashing out at the bowling without any semblance of proper shot selection. Russell and his teammates could hardly believe their luck. At one stage the West Indian had taken 3/0, with his first over a double-wicket maiden.
Only Khaya Zondo, who played sensibly for his 33 in 49 balls, and Keshav Maharaj with 19, reached double figures. Russell collected career-best figures of 4/18, while Quinton Friend and Malusi Siboto helped themselves to a couple of wickets apiece.
Earlier, the Lions made heavy weather of beating the Warriors by six wickets with three balls to spare after facing a modest target of 127.
Eventually Temba Bavuma (37) and Neil McKenzie’s (46) unbroken partnership of 60 took the Lions to victory.
In the first match, only the Titans will know how they spurned a golden chance of victory over the Cobras.
Needing five off the last five balls, the Titans conspired to lose two wickets and failed to score a run.
The Cobras were indebted to big all-rounder Kieron Pollard, who struck an unbeaten half-century and then took his team to victory in that dramatic final over. - The Mercury