The Hollywoodbets Dolphins became the second team to confirm their place in the semifinals when they crushed Six Gun Grill Western Province by seven wickets with 10.2 overs to spare in their CSA T20 Challenge match at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Saturday afternoon.
Having dismissed Province for 73 – their lowest total in T20 cricket – in 18 overs, the Dolphins moved swiftly to victory with the top run-scorer in the competition, Grant Roelofsen, remaining unbeaten on 29 while Khaya Zondo played an impressive cameo, striking a six and a four off legspinner Junaid Dawood to finish on 17 in 11 balls.
The Dolphins have three days to prepare for their semi next week while Province have now lost any hope of making the playoffs.
Earlier, Jon-Jon Smuts looked in fluent form, striking a six and a four before playing too early at Tshepo Moreki and getting a leading edge to cover. Keegan Petersen had departed in a similar manner, lobbing a catch to cover off Nandre Burger. Tshepang Dithole was trapped leg before by Dawood but Province simply didn’t have enough runs to worry their opponents.
Earlier, the superbly balanced Dolphins’ attack, comprising pace and spin, were way too good for a very ordinary Province batting performance with only George Linde (30 off 33 balls) reaching double-figures. To be fair, the conditions for batting were not easy on a slow pitch that encouraged uneven bounce, turn and movement.
All the Dolphins’ bowlers were in the wickets with Smuts leading the way with career-best figures of 3-12 in four overs, followed by his spin twin, Prenelan Subrayen (2-16). Paceman Daryn Dupavillon (2-5 in three overs) made the initial breakthrough, capturing the wickets of the Province openers Daniel Smith (2) and Gavin Kaplan (1) with late-swinging deliveries.
The Dolphins could even afford the luxury of dropping two chances with Linde reprieved by Dithole and Kyle Verreynne surviving a tough chance in the slips by Smuts. Verreynne didn’t survive long, however, falling to the ball of the innings by Ottniel Baartman that swung away and then cut back to knock back his off-stump. Baartman is now the joint leading wicket-taker in the competition.
Linde, normally an aggressive batsman, was forced into a more defensive role because of the clatter of wickets at the other end. The left-hander was able to strike Eathan Bosch for a huge six over long-on but departed immediately afterwards after playing on to a nicely disguised slower ball.
HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS: Grant Roelofsen (wk), Keegan Petersen, Jon-Jon Smuts, Tshepang Dithole, Khaya Zondo, Jason Smith, Eathan Bosch, Prenelan Subrayen (capt), Thando Ntini, Daryn Dupavillon, Ottniel Baartman
SIX GUN GRILL WESTERN PROVINCE: Gavin Kaplan, Daniel Smith, Kyle Verreynne (capt, wk), George Linde, Mihlali Mpongwana, Abdullah Bayoumy, Lwando Tywaku, Junaid Dawood, Dane Paterson, Tshepo Moreki, Nandre Burger