DURBAN – An excellent six-wicket haul by Senuran Muthusamy helped put the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in pole position for victory after the penultimate day of their 4-Day Domestic Series encounter against the Warriors in Durban on Wednesday.
The all-rounder nabbed six for 98 in 35 overs, his seventh career five-for and one that outshone a century by Colin Ackermann.
It left the hosts needing 217 for victory and they reached 18 without loss by the close, needing just 199 more for their first win of the season.
Before that, though, it was an intriguing battle between bat and ball as Muthusamy got the better of most of the visiting batsmen.
The Warriors had begun proceedings on 82 for one and still in arrears in the game. But they went about erasing the first-innings 160-run deficit admirably thanks to Ackermann, who made exactly 100 (151 balls, 15 fours, 2 sixes).
Kingsmead Cricket Ground in Durban at the start of the current game between the Dolphins and Warriors. Photo: @DolphinsCricket on twitter
The all-rounder’s 17th career century was well complemented by half centuries from three other players – Gihahn Cloete (54 off 79 balls, 8 fours), Clyde Fortuin (66 off 107 balls, 11 fours) and Sisanda Magala (51 off 102 balls, 7 fours, 1 six).
Yaseen Vallie also struck 39 and Simon Harmer 28 that enabled the Eastern Cape franchise to reach 376 all out.
Apart from Muthusamy’s six, Robbie Frylinck picked up two for 69.
The Warriors were then seeking early inroads in the six overs they delivered, but they did not arrive as Sarel Erwee (16) and Vaughn van Jaarsveld (2) negotiated the bowling until the close.