Dolphins’ winning run ended as Warriors win in Durban

The Hollywoodbets Dolphins’ four-match winning streak came to an end in the YesPlay Pro20 Cup on Tuesday evening as the Dafabet Warriors secured a six-wicket victory at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium.

The Warriors, who won the toss and elected to bowl first, restricted the Dolphins to 116 all out before chasing down the target in 15 overs. The Dolphins had entered the match as pool leaders but were left to reflect on a difficult batting performance after losing their top order cheaply.

The hosts struggled to build momentum with the bat, losing Romashan Pillay for 11 and Grant Roelofsen for five inside the first four overs to slip to 21/2.

The situation deteriorated rapidly in the seventh over when Beuran Hendricks struck twice, bowling Bryce Parsons for nine before dismissing Sean Gilson for a duck. Hendricks then trapped Hanu Viljoen lbw for four, before Thomas Kaber had Gomolemo Phiri stumped for one as the Dolphins slumped to 51 for six at the end of the tenth over.

Jason Smith and Prenelan Subrayen provided some much-needed resistance to give the innings a measure of respectability. Smith top-scored with 47 off 38 deliveries, while Subrayen contributed 33 off 28 balls as the pair helped the Dolphins recover from their early collapse.

The Dolphins reached 100 in the 17th over, but the Warriors continued to make inroads. Kaber removed Smith in the 18th over, with the batter caught at backward point, before Wesley Bedja closed out the innings in the following over.

Subrayen was trapped lbw for 33, while Nqobani Mokoena was caught at long-off off his first delivery and Okuhle Cele was caught behind for a duck as the Dolphins were dismissed for 116.

The Dolphins needed early wickets to put pressure on the visitors but the Warriors made a measured start to their chase, racing to 45 without loss after five overs.

Keith Dudgeon provided the breakthrough in the sixth over when Sibonelo Makhanaya was caught at short cover for 23 off 19 balls but Jordan Hermann ensured the Warriors maintained their momentum with an attacking 36 off just 20 deliveries.

Hermann was caught behind attempting a pull shot off Dudgeon in the eighth over, with the Warriors on 65/2. Parsons then bowled Matthew de Villiers for six to give the Dolphins further hope at 69/3.

However, the Warriors continued to score runs at a healthy rate, with Tristan Stubbs taking the attack to Dudgeon in the 12th over, striking three sixes before holing out to Subrayen at long-on for 26 off 17 balls.

Despite that wicket, the visitors remained firmly in control and moved to 117/4 by the end of the 15th over to complete a six-wicket victory.

The defeat brings the Dolphins’ four-match winning run to an end and sees the Warriors move to the top of Pool B, underlining the threat posed by the defending champions as the competition progresses.

For the Dolphins, the challenge now will be to regroup quickly for their final match of the group phase against SWD at Kingsmead on Friday.