Johanesburg - Daryn Dupavillon’s devastating opening burst and a well timed fifth wicket partnership of 98 between Jason Smith and Keegan Petersen, saw the Dolphins qualify for the semi-finals of the CSA Provincial T20 Knock Out competition in Kimberley on Wednesday.
Dupavillon claimed three wickets inside the power play, firmly putting the usually aggressive Eastern Province side on the backfoot. Despite a well crafted half-century from Diego Rosier, the Warriors never recovered and their total was about 30 runs short of being defendable.
The Kimberley Oval strip used for Wednesday’s quarterfinal was very different from ones used there previously. Where batters have dominated in the Pool matches hosted there and in Tuesday’s two quarterfinals, it was the bowlers - the seamers especially - who found plenty of help from the track where the bounce and carry through to the wicket-keeper, occasionally resembled what might be found at the Wanderers.
WICKET!!
— Dolphins Cricket (@DolphinsCricket) October 20, 2021
Daryn Dupavillon again!! Sensational effort from Dupavillon dismissing JJ Smuts for 7 (7 balls)
Warriors are currently 8-3 after 2.3 overs.
Brilliant start from @Hollywoodbets Dolphins!#DolphinsCricket🐬#ReadyForMore#BeyondTheBoundary#GreatnessBeginsHere#T20KO pic.twitter.com/tlh7A2YZZm
Dupavillon delighted in the help he got - from the pitch - and also from umpire Bangani Jele, for his first wicket, with the official raising his finger to give Warriors opener Wihan Lubbe out lbw, but TV replays showed the left-hander got a huge inside edge.
His tail up, Dupavillon clean bowled Matthew Breetzke with the penultimate ball of the first over and started his second over by having the experienced JJ Smuts caught behind by stand-in wicket-keeper Keegan Petersen for just 7.
Before the power play ended, Tristan Stubbs scooped Ruan de Swardt to Dupavillon at point, leaving the Warriors in crisis.
It was a position from which they could not recover despite Rosier’s best efforts. His innings contained some lovely strokeplay, but it was a lone hand. He struck five fours and a six in making 51 off 41 balls but what the Warriors really needed was a big partnership and Rosier’s sixth fifth wicket stand with skipper Sinethemba Qeshile was worth just 42 runs.
BRILLIANT 50 FOR JASON SMITH!!
— Dolphins Cricket (@DolphinsCricket) October 20, 2021
A fighting, determined and skillful innings from Jason Smith brings up his 50 off 35 balls and keeps @Hollywoodbets Dolphins hopes of reaching the semi-final alive!@Hollywoodbets Dolphins are 111-4 needing 17 runs off 22 balls to win pic.twitter.com/3cR5cOb83e
Dupavillon finished with career-best figures of 4/18, continuing the good form he found in the second match of the Pool stages in Bloemfontein. He had good support from Ottniel Baartman who claimed 1/21, while Thando Ntini weighed in with two crucial wickets in the latter stages of the Warriors innings.
The Dolphins’ top order also succumbed to the tricky seamer friendly pitch, slumping to 33/4 by the end of the seventh over.
Glenton Stuurman with three wickets - matching Dupavillon by taking one with the first ball of the innings - led the way and the pressure he created was built upon by the Warriors’ spinners.
Just when it looked like the run chase might be getting away from them, Petersen - who play a Test match style knock scoring 38 off 43 balls and hitting just three fours - took 10 runs off Smuts in the 13th over and then Smith, hit a pair of sixes in the 14th over off part-timer Tristan Stubbs, taking him for 19 runs in total.
Fighting 50 partnership from Keegan Petersen 25* (29) and Jason Smith 31* (23)@hollywoodbets Dolphins are 85-4 needing 43 runs off 36 balls to win #DolphinsCricket🐬 #ReadyForMore #BeyondTheBoundary #GreatnessBeginsHere pic.twitter.com/FB8SVRWzqR
— Dolphins Cricket (@DolphinsCricket) October 20, 2021
That changed the momentum of the innings and Qeshile may look back and think he allowed the part-timer to bowl one over too many.
There were insufficient runs left for the seamers to defend as a result, and Smith and Petersen coasted home in the last over, with Smith, who moved from Cape Town to Durban in the winter, finishing not out on 60, which came off 41 balls in which he hit three fours and three sixes.
The Dolphins will play the Titans in the first semifinal on Thursday.
@shockerhess
IOL Sport