The in-form Dolphins will be eyeing revenge when they face the Cape Cobras at Potchefstroom on Wednesday. Imraan Khan’s side have won three of their four One Day Cup games and are on top of the log.
Their sole loss was against the Cobras at the Pietermaritzburg Oval two weeks ago following a century from Zubayr Hamza. The KZN franchise will head into this contest full of confidence after having thrashed the Knights in Bloemfontein on Friday.
Captain Keshav Maharaj led from the front as he took four wickets for 32 runs, whilst rising star Grant Roelofsen continued his good form with the bat, scoring 56. Maharaj, South Africa’s premier Test spinner, may be giving the national team selectors something to ponder, having been overlooked for the Proteas' recent white ball series against England.
The 30-year-old is the joint top wicket-taker in the One Day Cup, tied with Thando Ntini on seven scalps.
Roelofsen is second on the tournament's top run scorers' list after having struck two half-centuries and one ton from his three games. He is behind only Hamza of the Cobras.
The experienced Robbie Frylinck was named man of the match on Friday after achieving bowling figures of 2-13 from eight overs.
The Dolphins are playing confident cricket right now and have a good balance of youth and experience. They were outdone in the final of last season's One Day Cup against the Titans but will believe that this is the season where they can go all the way in
the competition.
The Cobras have won two of their four games and enter Wednesday’s clash on the back of a 95-run defeat against the Titans in Cape Town.
The Western Cape franchise were outplayed in the game and the scorecard would have looked worse had it not been for Hamza’s innings of 93.
Apart from Hamza, no other batter from Ashwell Prince’s side scored more than 20 runs in the game.
The Dolphins will go into the game as slight favourites considering that they have played more confident cricket so far.
Khan’s side will however need to prevent Hamza from posting yet another big score if they want to bolster their chance of winning.