Dolphins beat the Titans by three runs in rain-hit thriller

The Hollywoodbets Dolphins beat the Momentum Multiply Titans by three runs via the DLS method in a dramatic finish to their CSA T20 Challenge match at Kingsmead in Durban on Wednesday night.

Batting first after losing the toss, the Dolphins stuttered to 127 for six on a particularly slow, low track with 38-year-old David Wiese taking 5-29 including three wickets in his first over.

The Titans found batting as difficult as the Dolphins did in their run chase, struggling to 74 for five in 13.5 overs when rain drove the players from the field. To complicate matters even further, one of the floodlights fused and could not be used during the climax of the match.

When the players returned to the field after a 20-minute break, the Titans faced a DLS target of a further 30 for victory in 13 balls.

In the penultimate over, paceman Ottniel Baartman had Dayyaan Galiem caught on the long-on boundary by Bradley Porteous. The Titans needed 21 off the final over to be delivered by Okuhle Cele.

Corbin Bosch struck Cele's second ball for a straight six, took two off the third ball and then slashed another six off the fourth ball, leaving the visitors needing seven off the final two deliveries.

But Bosch was only able to take two off the fifth ball and a single off the final delivery to leave the Titans on 100 for six in 16 overs and the Dolphins narrow winners.

Shortly after the players left the field for the final time, the ground was drenched by a heavy burst of rain.

The two Dolphins’ bowlers to impress were the spinners, Prenelan Subrayen, with 2-17 in his four overs, and fellow spinner Jon-Jon Smuts, with 2-15 in three overs.

Earlier, it was Wiese who was the star turn for the visitors. He took the wickets of Khaya Zondo, Jon-Jon Smuts and Grant Roelofsen in his first over, eventually claiming 5-29 in his spell. Remarkably it wasn’t a career-best: he took 5-19 against the Warriors in Centurion in 2009-10.

The Kingsmead pitch – recently relaid – was disappointingly low and slow, even by Kingsmead’s recent standards. This was evident in the first over from left-arm spinner Neil Brand. Two of Wiese’s victims in his first over, Smuts and Roelofsen, succumbed to deliveries that barely rose above ankle height.

Wiese’s other two wickets came in his final two overs, with Porteous and Andile Phehlukwayo castled by two wicket-to-wicket deliveries.

Only three Dolphins’ batters passed 20: opener Khaya Zondo struck 21 off 16 balls including the only six of the innings, Jason Smith who chose to accumulate, finished with 28 off 37 balls and Porteous who struck a run-a-ball 21.

Marques Ackerman, who with Eathan Bosch somehow delivered a victory for the Dolphins against the North West Dragons last week, once again looked good but was run out by a wonder throw by Rivaldo Moonsamy on the boundary as he attempted to complete a second run.

HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS: Grant Roelofsen (wk), Khaya Zondo, Jon-Jon Smuts, Marques Ackerman, Jason Smith, Bradley Porteous, Andile Phehlukwayo, Eathan Bosch, Prenelan Subrayen (capt), Ottniel Baartman, Okuhle Cele

MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Steven Stolk, Lhuan-dre Pretorius (wk), Rivaldo Moonsamy, Sibs Makhanya, Neil Brand, Dayyaan Galiem, Corbin Bosch, Aaron Phangiso (capt), David Wiese, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi