Half-centuries from Jon-Jon Smuts and Jason Smith, and a late cameo of 47 from Eathan Bosch, enabled the Hollywoodbets Dolphins to total a useful 305 in 48.2 overs in their CSA One-Day Cup match against the Momentum Multiply Titans at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Sunday.
The Titans’ skipper Niel Brand won the toss and put the Dolphins in to bat on the same pitch that was used in the home team’s match against the Lions.
The Dolphins began carefully with Sarel Erwee lagging behind his partner, Smuts, who was by far the more aggressive of the two batters. Indeed, Erwee scored only 22 of the pair’s opening stand of 81 in 14 overs before the left-hander was caught on the square-leg boundary attempting to clip Junior Dala over the fence.
Smuts, who struck the ball with great power in his innings of 71 in 61 balls, including 10 fours and two sixes, was the next to go, mistiming a pull off the Titans’ best pace bowler, Matthew Boast, to Junior Dale at mid-on.
It was Smuts’ 34th half-century – to go with nine centuries – in his 162nd List A match, an indication of his honoured veteran status. Boast, who claimed 3-33 in his 10 overs, bowled an immaculate line and length and he helped clean up the tail with the scalps of Prenelan Subrayen and debutant Tristan Luus at the end of the innings.
Bryce Parsons and Jason Smith maintained a rate of about six to the over in their third-wicket stand of 60, with Parsons going for 38 in 37 balls before he top-edged a pull off Dayyaan Galiem to wicketkeeper Lhuan-dre Pretorius.
All the top-order batters made useful contributions, with Smith reaching his 50 in 58 balls before he drove another veteran, left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe, to long-off.
It was down to Eathan Bosch, however, to drive the Dolphins past the 300 mark with a delightful 47 in just 32 balls – including three fours and two sixes – before he was run out trying to keep the strike in the 49th over.
Dala claimed three wickets, but was far more expensive than Boast, conceding 71 runs in his 10 overs.
MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Neil Brand (capt), Keegan Peterson, Dewald Brevis, Sibs Makhanya, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dayyaan Galiem, Matthew Boast, Roelof van der Merwe, Junior Dala.
HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS: Sarel Erwee, Jon-Jon Smuts, Bryce Parsons, Jason Smith, Khaya Zondo, Tshepang Dithole (wk), Eathan Bosch, Andile Simelane, Prenelan Subrayen (capt), Tristan Luus, Okuhle Cele.