Sublime Dolphins advance to T20 Challenge Qualifier

A magical fielding performance, 4/21 from Eathan Bosch and a crucial half century from Jason Smith guided the Hollywoodbets Dolphins to a 15-run win over WSB Western Province in the CSA T20 Challenge Eliminator at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium on Wednesday.

Some stunning catches from the Dolphins fielders set the tone for their defence of what seemed a modest 142 on Wednesday afternoon to see them make Qualifier 2 where they will face the Dafabet Warriors on Friday.

The Dolphins were put into bat and it was a poor start for the home side who lost Bryce Parsons in the first over LBW to George Linde for one.

Khaya Zondo never managed to get going in his innings and he became Linde's second victim when he was caught for five in the fifth over of the innings.

At the conclusion of the PowerPlay the Dolphins had moved to 30 for two thanks to an over of 15 from Tshepo Moreki beforehand.

The Dolphins went to fifty in the ninth over of the match with Jason Smith and Marques Ackerman at the crease.

At the halfway stage of the innings the Dolphins had moved to 56/2 with Smith on 40 and Ackerman on nine. The partnership was worth 42 at the mid-point of the innings.

The 50 run partnership came up in the following over when Smith hit Josh Breed for six over extra cover.

Smith brought up an important half century off 35 balls with six fours and two sixes as the Dolphins looked to push on in the final eight overs of the innings.

Ackerman fell in the 13th over when he was bowled by Mbulelo Dube for 17. The Dolphins were still battling to break the shackles at 74/3.

With five overs to go the Dolphins were 95/3 with Smith on 58 and Tshepang Dithole with him on 13. The pair had added some important urgency to the Dolphins innings after the loss of Ackerman.

Smith was trapped in front for 58 off 41 balls off the bowling of Josh Breed in the 16th over of the innings with the total on 96.

It took 16 overs and one ball for the Dolphins to breach the 100-run mark with Gomolemo Phiri and Dithole at the crease.

A fifth wicket went down as Phiri was chasing quick runs and nicked one to the wicket-keeper of the bowling of Tshepo Moreki for one.

With two overs to go the Dolphins were 118/5 with Dithole playing a cameo on 33 off 23 and Bosch on one.

The left-handed Dithole's 39 came from 27 deliveries as he was dismissed in the 19th over, caught off the bowling of Moreki.

Bosch then fell in the final over when he was run out coming back for two. The Dolphins were 138/7 when he was dismissed.

The Dolphins finished their innings on 141/8.

It was the perfect start for the Dolphins as Andile Simelane took a brilliant catch to dismiss Jiveshan Pillay for a duck off the bowling of Bosch. Western Province were 0/1 off the first over.

A second outstanding catch, this time from Aryan Gopalan at third man, saw the end of Valentine Kitime for 11. It was a second wicket for Bosch as Western Province were 12/2 in the third over.

Bosch then got his third with another outstanding catch, this time by himself when Daniel Smith hit one back at him. He stuck out his right hand and caught it which saw the back of the in-form Smith.

It was Bosch’s day with the ball as he picked up his fourth wicket when Linde was caught in the deep by Parsons for one.

At the conclusion of the PowerPlay the visitors were 27/4, three runs behind and with two less wickets than the Dolphins at the same stage.

Tristan Luus’ first over was an unfortunate one with a dropped catch, miss-field and an edge for four. However, the seamer bounced back and got the wicket of Kyle Simmonds off the final ball for 16.

At the halfway stage of their chase Western Province were 58/5 which was slightly ahead of the Dolphins at the same stage, however they had lost three more wickets than the home side after 10 overs.

After 15 overs Western Province were 93/5 and Joshua van Heerden and Josh Breed were keeping the visitors in the match with a 50 run partnership for the sixth wicket.

The partnership was broken by Gopalan when he dismissed Breed for a well-played 29. At that stage Western Province were 104/6 needing 38 off 19 balls with four wickets in hand.

Another brilliant catch in the deep from the Dolphins saw the end of Van Heerden for 44. The catch was taken by Anrich Nortje low to the ground off the bowling of Simelane.

The wicket meant that Western Province needed 25 runs to win off nine balls with three wickets in hand.

The final over saw the visitors needing 17 and Nortje picked up a wicket off the second ball bowling Abdallah Bayoumy for 11.

Nortje then bowled Moreki two balls later to leave leaving Western Province on 125/9 with two balls left in the innings.

The speedster finished out to over to see Western Province finish on 126/9, 15 runs short of the Dolphins.

The victory continues the Dolphins’ unbeaten run at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium this season.

Score

Hollywoodbets Dolphins 141/8 (J Smith 58 T Dithole 39)

WSB Western Province (J van Heerden 44 E Bosch 4/21)

Dolphins win by 15 runs