Parsons and Cele take Dolphins to victory

The Hollywoodbets Dolphins finally got off the mark in the CSA T20 Challenge when they beat the DP World Lions by four wickets with five balls to spare at Kingsmead in Durban on Wednesday night.

Chasing 156 to win, a fourth-wicket partnership of 63 in 40 balls from Bryce Parsons and Jason Smith seemed to have done most of the heavy lifting. Parsons then teamed up with Andile Phehlukwayo in the course of which paceman Codi Yusuf’s 18th over yielded 18, including two no balls, that virtually confirmed the game was over.

But, with two runs to win, Phehlukwayo ran himself out and then Khaya Zondo went first ball to Delano Potgieter, caught at backward point. This was just a minor tremor, however, as acting skipper Prenelan Subrayen (substituting for the unavailable Keshav Maharaj) whipped the first delivery of the final over from Lutho Sipamla to long-leg for four.

This was the Lions’ first defeat of the competition and a welcome relief for the home team who had lost their first two home matches against WSB Western Province and the Dafabet Warriors.

Batter of the match Parsons anchored the Dolphins’ innings after opening with Grant Roelofsen, finishing unbeaten on 62 in 49 balls (4x4s, 3x6s). It was the left-hander’s first half-century in the competition and he played with style and determination.

The Dolphins lost early wickets with Roelofsen holing out for 13 after a superbly timed six into Castle Corner and Jon-Jon Smuts being caught behind for a duck. Brad Porteous went for 17 and the match looked evenly poised at that point until Smith came to join Parsons for the biggest partnership of the match.

The Lions didn’t help their cause by conceding 17 extras, including seven wides and two no-balls. By contrast, the Dolphins showed good discipline by giving away only five extras, including only one wide.

Earlier, Temba Bavuma struck his third T20 Challenge half-century after the Lions had been put in to bat by the Dolphins.

Although the Lions boosted their run-rate to hit 50 runs off the final five overs, the Dolphins for the most part bowled well, led by bowler of the match Okuhle Cele who took 2-21 in his four overs, and Ottniel Baartman who claimed 2-25.

The Lions’ innings was largely a tale of partnerships nipped in the bud when they looked likely to flourish. In the end, Bavuma’s fifth-wicket partnership of 48 in 32 balls with Mitchell van Buuren was the best the visitors produced.

The Lions, batting first after the Dolphins won the toss, began quietly before Ryan Rickelton was superbly caught on the point boundary by Parsons, sprinting to his left and diving full length to scoop up the catch off the bowling of Cele in the third over.

Rassie van der Dussen was the next to go after a bright 28 in 21 balls (3x4s, 1x6) when he played across the line to Jon-Jon Smuts and lost his middle stump.

A tentative Reeza Hendricks didn’t last long, nicely caught at mid-on by Daryn Dupavillon when he mistimed a pull off Baartman. Wiaan Mulder went shortly afterwards, nicking a slog-sweep to wicketkeeper Grant Roelofsen to become Cele’s second victim. 

Bavuma revived the innings, first with Van Buuren and then with Potgieter who belted two sixes in his unbeaten 17 in six balls. The diminutive right-hander eventually finished with an unbeaten 53 in 40 balls including three fours and two sixes.

DOLPHINS: Grant Roelofsen (wk), Bryce Parsons, Jon-Jon Smuts, Bradley Porteous, Khaya Zondo, Jason Smith, Andile Phehlukwayo, Prenelan Subrayen (capt), Daryn Dupavillon, Ottniel Baartman, Okuhle Cele

LIONS: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Wiaan Mulder, Mitchell van Buuren, Delano Potgieter, Bjorn Fortuin (capt), Codi Yusuf, Nqaba Peter, Lutho Sipamla