A debut T20 half-century by Dewald Brevis and two brilliant run-outs in the 15th over helped the Momentum Multiply Titans to a comfortable 34-run victory over the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in the opening match of the CSA T20 Challenge at the JB Marks ground in Potchefstroom on Monday.
Chasing a formidable total of 169 for victory, opener Grant Roelofsen had kept the Dolphins in the match with a superb 68 off 42 balls, but when he left, well caught by Sibs Makhanya at extra-cover in the 14th over, the match was in the balance again.
If there was any remaining doubt, the Titans made double-sure in the next over when wicketkeeper Donovan Ferreira brilliantly ran out Marques Ackerman – the only remaining batsman who could have conjured an unlikely victory for the Dolphins.
Ackerman, a whippet between the wickets, was run out by a couple of centimetres at the bowler’s end, then Andile Simelane was run out by a superb throw from the deep from 38-year-old Aaron Phangiso. Both throws were direct hits.
Phangiso then enjoyed another special moment at the death when he trapped Jason Smith leg before, thereby becoming the biggest wicket-taker in domestic T20 cricket, edging past Robbie Frylinck who had 95 scalps.
Phangiso’s day was complete when he had Ottniel Baartman caught off his next ball to claim a bonus point for his team as the Dolphins crumbled to 134 all out after at one stage being 111 for three.
The left-arm spinner finally finished with 3-16 in 3.4 overs.
The Dolphins’ innings had developed in exactly the opposite way to that of the Titans, with the Durban-based team reaching 51 for one after the power play while the Titans had struggled to 22 for two in the same period after Prenelan Subrayen had won the toss and inserted the Titans in overcast conditions on a well-grassed pitch.
Their early successes were down to paceman Eathan Bosch who claimed the cheap wickets of Neil Brand and Makhanya at a personal cost of just 13 runs in his four overs which he bowled straight through.
Fellow paceman Baartman was also on the mark, going for 23 runs in his spell and capturing the key wicket of Theunis de Bruyn.
But then came the Brevis blow-back. The 19-year-old, who was made player of the match, had begun scratchily and was fortunate to survive the power play, but then, first with De Bruyn and then Donavon Ferreira, he gained in assurance, striking four sixes and two fours in his 44-ball innings.
He was particularly destructive against the spinners, with new Dolphins’ signing Jon-Jon Smuts going for 27 in his two overs.
Another key difference between the teams was the finish to the Titans’ innings with Dayyaan Galiem (26 in 13 balls) and Aya Gqamane (14 in 10 balls) smacking 43 off the last four overs. The main Dolphins’ bowler to suffer was Thando Ntini who leaked 49 runs in his four overs.
The Dolphins fielded smartly to begin with but as the pressure mounted their out-cricket became increasingly ragged. By contrast the Titans were dynamic in the field throughout the with Gqamane particularly impressive in the deep. Altogether there were three run-outs as the Dolphins’ innings effectively dissolved after the dismissal of the impressive Roelofsen.
HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS: Bryce Parsons, Grant Roelofsen (wk), Jon-Jon Smuts, Khaya Zondo, Marques Ackerman, Jason Smith, Andile Simelane, Eathan Bosch, Prenelan Subrayen (capt), Thando Ntini, Ottniel Baartman
MULTIPLY TITANS: Dewald Brevis, Neil Brand, Sibs Makhanya (capt), Theunis de Bruyn, Jiveshan Pillay, Donavon Ferreira (wk), Corbin Bosch, Dayyaan Galiem, Aya Gqamane, Junior Dala, Aaron Phangiso