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Roelofsen leads Dolphins to crushing win over dismal Rocks

cricket15 March 2024 19:25| © MWP
By:Patrick Compton
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Grant Roelofsen struck a superb unbeaten 71 off 45 balls – his fifth half-century in the competition – to lead the Hollywoodbets Dolphins to a crushing nine-wicket win over a dismal Gbets Rocks in their CSA T20 Challenge match at Boland Park in Paarl on Friday.

Set 126 to win after the home team had struggled to 125 for eight in their innings, the Dolphins sprinted to a bonus-point victory on the back of a sparkling opening partnership of 108 in 78 balls from Roelofsen and Bryce Parsons.

Parsons was the only wicket to fall in the Dolphins’ surge to victory, caught at long-on by Pieter Malan when victory was already assured. The left-hander struck 47 off 36 balls, including five fours and a six, to go with his half-century in a match-winning performance against the DP World Lions on Wednesday.

It was a nightmare of an outing for the home team who couldn’t develop any momentum with the bat and then bowled all over the shop to gift the Dolphins’ openers a diet of boundary balls. The home team’s fielding was particularly shabby, with Parsons being dropped twice by Imraan Manack and Pieter Malan while there were also a steady drip of misfields to further aid the batters.

Roelofsen played the outstanding innings of the match, striking some glorious cover drives off the front and back foot. It was fitting that he ended the match after just 14.3 overs, pulling Hardus Viljoen for his second six to go with eight fours.

The Rocks have now lost their first three matches and certainly played like a team without confidence tonight. The Dolphins, after their win against the DP World Lions on Wednesday, now have two wins on the trot and will take some momentum into their home game on Sunday against the North West Dragons.

Earlier, the Dolphins restricted the Rocks to 125 for eight after winning the toss and putting them in to bat.

It was a surprise move on a typically low and slow Boland Park pitch, but it worked a treat.

Interestingly, the Dolphins only used two of their spinners, skipper Prenelan Subrayen and Jon-Jon Smuts, relying on their pace bowlers for the other 12 overs. Offspinner Subrayen claimed the excellent figures of 2-19 in his four overs, winning the bowling award, but it was the pacemen who got the other six scalps with Ottniel Baartman, Okuhle Cele and Daryn Dupavillon taking two wickets each.

Cele and Baartman got rid of the Rocks’ openers, Pieter and Janneman Malan, the first bowled through the gate and the other slashing to backward point. Keegan Pietersen top-edged Subrayen to deep square leg after a frustrating stay at the crease (8 in 13 balls) and it was left to Michael Copeland to provide what spine the innings possessed with a top score of 35 in 30 balls.

When he departed, caught in the deep, the tail wagged only minimally with Shaun von Berg striking Dupavillon for a huge six in the penultimate over.

ROCKS: Pieter Malan (capt), Janneman Malan, Keegan Petersen, Clyde Fortuin (wk), Michael Copeland, Aviwe Mgijima, Shaun von Berg, Hardus Viljoen, Imran Manack, Siya Mahima, Ferisco Adams

DOLPHINS: Grant Roelofsen (wk), Bryce Parsons, JJ Smuts, Marques Ackerman, Jason Smith, Andile Simelane, Andile Phehlukwayo, Prenelan Subrayen (capt), Daryn Dupavillon, Ottniel Baartman, Okuhle Cele

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