Goldrush Boland beat the Hollywoodbets Dolphins by four runs, via the DLS method, in a CSA T20 Challenge match at Kingsmead in Durban on Saturday night.
In one sense, the result was academic as neither side could qualify for the playoffs, but the crowd was rewarded for their patience with a dramatic finish after light rain had kept the players off the field for an hour during the Dolphins’ reply.
The home team had reached 50 without loss in 4.4 overs, needing 168 to win, when the players were taken off the field. When play resumed, the home team’s task was reconfigured to needing a further 38 runs off 32 balls.
But a combination of fine bowling by Boland and some panicky cricket by the Dolphins threatened to give the visitors victory.
Bryce Parsons, who had played so well to reach 30 not out before the break in play, managed one further boundary before lofting a delivery from offspinner Imraan Manack to deep midwicket while Smuts was bowled attempting a reverse sweep. Manack’s over cost just three runs for two wickets.
Then paceman Akhona Mnyaka had Jason Smith superbly caught behind by Clyde Fortuin for a duck. The over in which he bowled a full length only cost a further four runs as David Miller came to the crease.
Glenton Stuurman’s disciplined over then cost another five runs as the Dolphins’ batters tried in vain to find the boundary. Twenty-one runs to win off the last two overs then became 16 off the last over after another superb effort from Mnyaka.
Aya Gqamane then assured victory for his team when he had a flailing Miller caught behind by Fortuin for eight in 13 balls. A late flurry of runs from Hanu Viljoen meant that six was needed for victory off the final ball, but only a single was achieved.
FIFTY FOR VON BERG
Earlier, beefy Shaun von Berg cracked his debut T20 fifty as he led Boland to a challenging 167 for four after the Dolphins had won the toss and put their opponents into bat.
Von Berg came to the crease as a pinch-hitter after Grant Roelofsen, formerly of the Dolphins, was forced to retire hurt at the end of the second over after being struck in the groin by Okuhle Cele.
The powerful Von Berg took an immediate liking to the Dolphins’ bowling, especially Ottniel Baartman, who went for an eyewatering 28 in his first two overs and 43 overall. Von Berg rode his luck early on but belted four sixes in his innings, including a huge blow over the West Stand off Baartman. Baartman had begun the evening well, clinging onto a towering blow from Clyde Fortuin on the deep midwicket boundary, but thereafter it was all downhill.
In general, the Dolphins bowled too short on the easy-paced pitch and suffered accordingly with only left-arm spinner Parsons impressing with 1-16 off three overs.
Boland finished off the innings particularly well with Lehan Botha (31*) and Keith Dudgeon (36*) adding 67 in 49 balls for the fifth wicket. It was fitting that the last three balls of the innings were hit for four by Dudgeon off Jason Smith to give the visitors a late lift.
DOLPHINS: Slade van Staden, Banele Cele, Bryce Parsons, Jason Smith, Andile Simelane, Jon-Jon Smuts, David Miller, Okuhle Cele, Prenelan Subrayen (capt), Ottniel Baartman, Hanu Viljoen (wk)
BOLAND: Grant Roelofsen (wk), Clyde Fortuin (capt), Lehan Botha, Blayde Capell, Keith Dudgeon, Ayabulela Gqamane, Shaun von Berg, Akhona Mnyaka, Imraan Manack, Glenton Stuurman, Aviwe Mgijima
