DURBAN – The Dolphins and the rain. Not for the first time in this 2017/18 season the elements came to the rescue of Grant Morgan’s side in the final of the Momentum One-Day Cup on Friday.
At 154/6 and more than 10 overs still remaining in their innings, the home side were saved by a storm that had brewing down the coast for over an hour.
It swept in with force and stopped the Warriors’ march to what looked like a memorable victory.
The men from Port Elizabeth, well coached by Rivash Gobind, will be cursing their rotten luck as they had the game by the scruff of the neck. They would have fancied chasing anything that the Dolphins set them, and would have been fancied to seal a characterful run in the second half of the 50-over competition.
Instead, the visitors will have to go on Saturday once more as the abandoned final will start afresh at 1.30pm.
The Dolphins, who lost early wickets and stayed behind the match for the majority of the 39 overs possible on Friday night, will have a chance to lick their wounds and press the reset button.
The batsmen, so often a concern this season, will know that they have been given a golden ticket, and they will surely be better at the second time of asking.
While the top-order was blown away, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, batting with a heavily strapped finger, looked in good nick, before he gave it away for 42 (67 balls, 5x4).
Senuran Muthusamy provided the sensibility with a calm half-century (53 not out off 90 balls, 4x4), but there was little else from the Dolphins.
The unlucky Warriors will hope the experienced Andrew Birch hits his straps again with the new ball, because he was key to the Dolphins’ struggles in taking 2/29 in seven overs. But more than anything, the Warriors will hope that the weather stays away, and they get a full chance to secure a trophy on the road.
Another rain-out will see the Dolphins prevail by virtue of having finished higher on the round-robin table.
Play at Kingsmead is scheduled to start at 1.30pm, with coverage on SuperSport from 1pm.