Light and time proved the enemies for the Dolphins here Saturday, one faded and the other ran out, with this season opener ending in a stalemate, but one from which both teams can draw positives.
It was a match that ebbed and flowed from the first ball on Wednesday to the last on Saturday evening, with the Titans surrendering an early advantage when they had the visitors 143/7, to the Dolphins fighting back magnificently with the bat on Friday and then the ball on the last day.
Conditions throughout weren’t easy for batting; the pitch was slightly two paced, and by the final day the inconsistent bounce really did become disconcerting.
Nevertheless players on both sides gave good accounts of themselves. The two young Dolphins openers, Jason Oakes and Grant Roelofson put in some good performances which bodes well for the remainder of the season, while in Calvin Savage, they have an all-rounder, who if he can stay free of injury will make a big impression on the domestic circuit this season.
It was Savage who had kept the Dolphins in the match with the ball in the Titans’ first innings when he picked up 4/61 and then with the bat in the Dolphins’ second dig when carved out a fine 68.
That laid basis for a target of 277 for the Titans which was always going to be a difficult task, but one with their resources they felt capable of pursuing. After the early loss of Tony di Zorzi, his opening partner Andrea Agathagelou and Theunis de Bruyn added 82 for the second wicket, which gave the home team the ascendancy at lunch.
But the day turned dramatically in the hour after the interval as Keshav Maharaj and Robbie Frylinck produced a pair of superb – and lengthy – spells to give their side the initiative. Maharaj picked up the wickets of Agathagelou for 53 and Farhaan Berhardien for one, after which Frylinck took wickets in successive balls as the Titans slumped from 124/1 to 140/5.
A missed opportunity early in De Bruyn’s innings would ultimately prove crucial; Kerwin Mungroo dropped a sitter at fine leg off a mis-judged pull when De Bruyn had just four – he went on to make 60. Henry Davids batted for more than three hours scoring 22 as the Titans shut up shop, with Shaun von Berg also putting in a sterling effort spending 107 minutes at the crease and was unbeaten on 16 when the umpires called time.
The Titans finished the match with 14.2 points and the Dolphins picked up 13.4.
Final Day:
HollywoodBets Dolphins 269 and 315
Multiply Titans 308 and 244/8
Match Drawn