Moonsamy, Ferreira pound Dolphins’ attack

Rivaldo Moonsamy and Donovan Ferreira pounded a weak Hollywoodbets Dolphins’ attack for 95 in just 42 balls as the Momentum Multiply Titans smacked 210 for three in their CSA T20 Challenge match at Kingsmead in Durban on Friday.

The visitors, who crushed the DP World Lions in their opening match, maintained their formidable momentum against some poor bowling and fielding from the Dolphins after skipper Prenelan Subrayen won the toss and put the visitors in to bat.

Anything over 200 in Durban is an impressive total on a slowish pitch, but the home team offered plenty of boundary balls to their opponents, with Lhuan-dre Pretorius getting the Titans off to a brisk start with 39 in 29 balls, the beefy left-hander essaying some powerful strokes on both sides of the pitch on a breezy day.

Medium-pacer Andile Simelane made the breakthrough when he had Pretorius well caught at deep point for 39 in 29 balls by a diving Romashan Pillay, but he made a serious blunder when it was established that he over-stepped in the 10th over after he clean-bowled a stuttering Moonsamy who had reached 20 off 22 balls.

Reprieved, the opener went on the attack as the Titans scored 51 off the next four overs as the Dolphins’ heads dropped. But the home team struck back when Simelane disposed of Sibs Makhanya who square cut a long hop straight to Bryce Parsons on the point boundary, while Dewald Brevis hit a full toss from Daryn Dupavillon straight to long-on.

At 115 for three in the 14th over, local optimists might have hoped that the game hung in the balance, but Donovan Ferreira joined Moonsamy and the pair blitzed 95 off just 42 balls as the Dolphins’ bowlers – unable to bowl a consistent “Test-match” length offered the batsmen a juicy selection of wide half-volleys and long-hops.

Ironically, 19-year-old Pillay bowled arguably the best over of the innings – his sole offering going for just five runs in the penultimate over and briefly stopping the Titans’ momentum.

But Dupavillon went for 24 in the final over, and 51 in his four overs, as Ferreira completed his destructive 59 in just 25 balls, while Moonsamy was also unbeaten on 81 in 47 balls, with the pair ensuring that the Dolphins face a formidable task if they are to win this match.

HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS: Bryce Parsons, Khaya Zondo, Slade van Staden (wk), Marques Ackerman, Jon-Jon Smuts, Tshepang Dithole, Andile Simelane, Prenelan Subrayen (capt), Romashan Pillay, Daryn Dupavillon, Okuhle Cele

MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Keegan Petersen (capt), Dewald Brevis, Donovan Ferreira, Sibs Makhanya, Dayyaan Galiem, Corbin Bosch, Roelof van der Merwe, Junior Dala, Tsepo Ndwandwa