Johannesburg - Blistering half-centuries from Grant Roelofson and David Miller powered the Dolphins to a reasonably comfortable win against the Warriors at St George’s Park on Saturday.
The KwaZulu-Natal outfit took advantage of a fresh pitch and a listless display from an under-resourced Warriors attack to post the highest total of the CSA T20 Challenge so far.
It was Roelofson, who provided aggression in the power play to lay the foundation for the Dolphins, who were asked to bat by the home team. Having taken three overs to assess the new conditions, Roelofson then targeted the debutant Alindile Mhletywa’s second over taking 18 runs off the right arm seamer.
The was some good fortune for the Dolphins opener, with Tristan Stubbs momentum taking him onto the rope as he sought to complete a boundary catch.
Roelofson used that luck and pummelled four boundaries off the last over of the power play with the Dolphins finishing the six over period on 57/0. The 25 year old, who was matriculated at King Edward VII in Johannesburg was stumped by Sinethemba Qeshile off a wide by JJ Smuts after scoring 50, which came off 30 balls and included seven fours and two sixes.
Bryce Parsons (39 off 31 balls) and Khaya Zondo (19 off 12) kept the scoreboard ticking at nine an over, before Miller made merry in the last quarter of the innings.
The experienced left-hander struck some enormous blows; one off Mhletywa was smashed out of the ground, and another in the final over off Nabe was driven inside/out over extra cover, clearing the longer boundary by 10 meters.
Miller was dismissed off the final delivery of the innings for 58 off 26 balls, after hitting two fours and six sixes. His partnership with fellow Proteas, Andile Phehlukwayo (28* off 16 ), was 86 runs off 43 balls, with 75 of those runs coming in the last five overs.
The Warriors’ bowling was ragged, they delivered nine wides, and skipper Sinethemba Qeshile, had only the five bowling options at his disposal and that lack of variety was fatal. Only Smuts conceded less than 10 runs an over as the Dolphins dominated.
Tristan Stubbs with an explosive contribution 💥![CDATA[]]>🏏
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 12, 2022
5️⃣0️⃣* off 1️⃣9️⃣ balls #CSAT20Challenge #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/VKDKNl3upy
The Warriors lost wickets regularly, but there was a heroic innings from Tristan Stubbs that kept the home-side’s hopes flickering.
Stubbs, 21, a powerful right-hander, gave notice to the national selectors as he made 80 off 31 balls, hitting three fours and eight sixes. Those boundaries were predominantly struck to the leg-side, but the most miraculous was a low six hit over long-off with Stubbs having to stretch to reach the ball.
Amidst the carnage there was a magnificent performance from Dolphins seamer Ottniel Baartman, who conceded just 14 runs in his four overs, and picked up the wicket of Matthew Breetzke.
KZN Dolphins 211/5
Warriors 191/6
Dolphins won by 20 runs
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