Dolphins clinch One-Day Cup title as Tuskers and Iinyathi share Division Two honours

football16 March 2025 18:01| © Cricket SA
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Hollywoodbets Dolphins © Gallo Images

The Hollywoodbets Dolphins were crowned One-Day Cup champions on Sunday after clinching what turned out to be a tense four-wicket win over crestfallen Goldrush Boland in front of their fans in Paarl.

In what was a relatively low-scoring chase of 248, the visitors lost wickets at key intervals throughout to keep the home side interested as they took the game to the final over where the result was confirmed with five balls to spare.

That Boland took the game so deep was down to two men – Ayabulela Gqamane and Imran Manack – after they combined for a 97-run eighth wicket stand that rescued their side from a precarious 142 for seven to reach 247 for eight.

Both men hit half centuries, the former top-scoring with 69 (77 balls, 7 fours, 1 six) and the latter clubbing 50* off 39 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes), with captain Clyde Reeves-Fortuin just about holding the early part of the innings together with 54 (64 balls, 1 four)

But veteran opener Jon-Jon Smuts then played a telling contribution for the Durban side, striking a priceless 91 off 111 balls (11 fours) to keep them ahead of the game, with rookie Hanu Viljoen (35* off 48 balls) holding his nerve to finish the job.

The result helped the Dolphins win their first 50-over title since they shared the trophy with the DP World Lions in 2020-21, a year after they won it outright.

They were the superior team for most of the final and took charge from the outset when they won the toss and batted.

Captain Prenelan Subrayen (2-35) opened the bowling and struck with his spin in the third over when he trapped Blayde Capell leg before wicket for two.

Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj (2-36) caused similar damage from the other end with his double taking out Gavin Kaplan (6) and Aviwe Mgijima (1). And when Andile Simelane cleaned up Lehan Botha for one, the hosts were in deep trouble at 23 for four in the 12th over.

Reeves-Fortuin and former Dolphins star Grant Roelofsen (41) then began damage control with a 50-run fourth wicket stand, before more wickets put the visitors back in charge at 90 for six.

And when the skipper fell to Tristan Luus (2-32), Boland looked like they would fold quickly. However, Gqamane and Manack had other ideas as they played smartly to lift their side to a competitive 247.

For the home side to challenge, they needed early wickets. They got one when Tshepang Dithole fell to Glenton Stuurman for 11, though that proved their only early success.

Smuts and Bryce Parsons (30) put on 69 for the next wicket, before the latter was removed by Shaun von Berg (1/48) and new man Jason Smith (1) followed quickly to Siyabonga Mahima (3-25).

However, Khaya Zondo (45) helped Smuts edge the Dolphins closer with a 78-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

That was ended by the outstanding Mahima, who also got rid of key man Smuts with just under 60 still needed.

But Viljoen, supported by Eathan Bosch (20), held his nerve to get the visitors over the line as they sealed a memorable win.

JOINT CHAMPIONS

Meanwhile, the ACDC Express Tuskers and Eastern Cape Iinyathi were crowned joint champions of the Division 2 One-Day Cup after persistent rain brought a premature end to the final at the AET Pietermaritzburg Oval.

Despite efforts to resume play, inclement weather conditions on both the scheduled match day and the reserve day meant that no further action was possible, leading to the two teams sharing the trophy.