Batting blitz sets up commanding win for Dolphins
A Hollywoodbets Dolphins record 239/5 from their 20 overs, which included half centuries from Bryce Parsons and Grant Roelofsen, helped the home side to a bonus point 104 run YesPlay Pro20 Cup win over the Northern Cape Heat at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium on Wednesday.
Parsons set the tone for the Dolphins with a blistering 83 from just 38 deliveries, striking five fours and seven sixes as the hosts powered their way to their highest-ever T20 score.
The Dolphins made a flying start after winning the toss and batting first, reaching 55 without loss after five overs, with Parsons and Khaya Zondo providing the early impetus. Zondo fell three short of a half century when he was bowled for 47 off just 27 balls.
Parsons then took centre stage, reaching his fifty from just 29 balls with a huge six over midwicket. His assault continued as he and Roelofsen accelerated the scoring, with the Dolphins bringing up their 100 in the 11th over and then 150 just 14 balls later.
Parsons eventually departed for 83 but there was no let-up in the scoring.
Roelofsen brought up his half century from only 22 balls and continued to attack the Heat bowling. The Dolphins went past the 200 mark with a huge six from Roelofsen in the 17th over.
He eventually fell for a superb 72 from 33 deliveries, leaving the Dolphins on 217/5 with one over remaining. The home side added another 22 runs from the final six balls to finish on 239.
The total surpassed the Dolphins' previous highest T20 score of 231/2 against the Cape Cobras in 2017.
The Heat's chase never got going as the Dolphins' bowlers struck regularly from the third over onwards.
Gerhardus Maree was the first to go for 15, caught by Bayanda Majola at cover, before Okuhle Cele removed Kyle Jacobs for one to leave Northern Cape 31/2.
The pressure intensified in the sixth over when Taheer Isaacs was caught at midwicket for five before Blake Simpson was bowled for a first-ball duck, leaving the Heat 47/4.
Tristan Luus then added another wicket with the Heat struggling at 65/5 after eight overs.
Nonelela Yikha provided some resistance with a brisk 43 from 24 balls but the Dolphins continued to chip away at the batting order. Neil Jordan was caught and bowled by Parsons for 27 from 13 balls, while Yikha was trapped lbw first ball of the 12th over by Bayanda Majola and that was the end of the resistance.
Sean Gilson picked up two wickets at the death when he bowled Tshepo Ntuli in the fifteenth over. He then bowled Odirile Modimokoane to give himself figures of 2/8.
Parsons backed up his 83 with figures of 2/22 from three overs.
The Heat were eventually bowled out for 135 in 16.5 overs
The 104-run victory secured the Dolphins a bonus point and capped a dominant all-round performance at Kingsmead.
Meanwhile, the match between World Sports Betting Eastern Storm and Mpumalanga Rhinos was abandoned without a ball bowled due to inclement weather in Gauteng.
The YesPlay Pro20 Cup action continues Thursday when the Garden Route Badgers host Eastern Cape Iinyathi at Recreation Ground in Oudtshoorn at 1pm.
Iinyathi head into the fixture on the back of their impressive victory over the North West Dragons earlier in the week.
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