A frustrating day, beset by rain interruptions, ended in a no-result in the CSA One-Day Cup match between the Moothee Ram Tuskers and the Hollywoodbets Dolphins at the Maritzburg Oval on Sunday.
It was a particularly disappointing outcome for the Tuskers who desperately needed a positive result after losing their first two matches.
When the game was called off, the Pietermaritzburg-based franchise were five overs shy of the 20-over mark which would have constituted a match.
At that stage the Dolphins were 66-2 in 15 overs – well behind the run-rate – as they chased a DSL re-arranged target of 223 in 41 overs.
Match abandoned at PMB Oval 🌧
— Dolphins Cricket (@DolphinsCricket) March 8, 2026
Persistent rain has the final say at the PMB Oval as the match is abandoned with Hollywoodbets Dolphins on 66/2 (15 overs).
Next up, Hollywoodbets Dolphins head to Johannesburg to take on the DP World Lions at the Wanderers on Wednesday before… pic.twitter.com/RQieTobBwj
Earlier, the Tuskers had compiled 211-9 in their 41-over innings after they had won the toss and chosen to bat first.
The home team had their innings interrupted twice by rain, while rain also interfered twice with the reply of the Dolphins.
Opener Tshepang Dithole was the main contributor in the Dolphins’ innings with 33 in 48 balls before he firmly pulled Wayne Parnell high to Jack Lees’ left at midwicket.
The fielder stuck up a hand and, after a couple of juggles, held onto a good catch.
His partner, Jon-Jon Smuts, had earlier been caught at cover off a leading edge, giving Daryn Dupavillon the opening strike.
Dupavillon bowled with good pace and deserved his figures of 1-23 in six overs.
Slade van Staden (17) and Marques Ackerman were at the crease when the final burst of rain drove the players from the field.
TWO WICKETS IN TWO BALLS FOR DEBUTANT
The Tuskers batted first on a good cricket wicket that offered help to spin and seam as well as batters with the ball coming on nicely.
Openers Malcolm Nofal and Lees provided a firm foundation for the innings with an opening partnership of 88 at five to the over.
The Dolphins were without their prime pace pairing of Eathan Bosch (injured) and Ottneil Baartman (Proteas duty), so the new ball was given to the inexperienced pair of Bayanda Majola and Zedan Mahomed who offered up a sprinkling of four-balls to the left-handed pair.
Not surprisingly, it was the experienced spin attack of Imran Tahir and Smuts who curtailed the scoring with 46-year-old Tahir breaking the stand by having Lees (39 in 50 balls) stumped by wicketkeeper Gomelemo Phiri when he ventured down the track.
Andile Mogakane hit one huge on-drive for six off Tahir that landed on the roof of the old press box before being trapped leg before by the wristspinner’s wrong’un.
Another googly accounted for Nofal (49 in 67 balls) – which provided another stumping for Phiri.
Tristan Luus, the quickest bowler on view, was fairly expensive, going for 45 in his eight overs, but he also claimed three wickets, the most eye-catching of which was conjured by Mahomed on the square-leg boundary who took a steepling catch offered by Tuskers’ captain Michael Erlank before throwing the ball up in the air as he fell over the boundary rope before leaping back and completing the catch in the field of play.
There was some late hitting by Matthew Urquhart (33) and particularly by Parnell who blasted 27 in 14 balls, including two sixes and two fours, before being run out.
Tahir finished with 3-41 off his nine overs while the 19-year-old Majola claimed two wickets in two balls on his Dolphins’ debut.
Smuts was unlucky not to get a wicket but was the most economical of the bowlers, conceding only 32 in his eight overs.
MOOTHEE RAM TUSKERS: Malcolm Nofal, Jack Lees, Michael Erlank (capt), Wayne Parnell, Andile Mokgakane, Hardus Viljoen, Sean Gilson, Bamanye Xenxe, Daryn Dupavillon, Ntando Zuma (wk), Matthew Urquhart
HOLLYWOODBETS TUSKERS: Tshepang Dithole, Jon-Jon Smuts, Slade van Staden, Marques Ackerman (capt), Bryce Parsons, Romashen Pillay, Gomolemo Phiri (wk), Tristan Luus, Imran Tahir, Mahommed Zidane, Bayanda Majola