Dolphins restrict Lions to 156

The Hollywoodbets Dolphins restricted the DP World Lions to 156 for five wickets in their CSA T20 Challenge match at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday afternoon.

The pitch was the same as the strip on which the Lions plundered 239 for four against the Dafabet Warriors on Friday, but it seemed to have lost some of its pace since then and the batsmen largely struggled to play as fluently as they had against the Warriors.

The Dolphins’ bowlers were also more disciplined than they had been against the Titans on Friday, with fast bowler Okuhle Cele particularly impressive, going for just 16 in his four overs for the wicket of Wandile Makwetu who edged to wicketkeeper Tshepang Dithole off his first delivery.

Opener Josh Richards took on the aggressive role up front and he was largely responsible for taking the total to 60 in the ninth over before he succumbed to a short ball from Andile Simelane, splicing it up in the air to Bryce Parsons at cover. He struck 38 in 31 balls.
 
The Dolphins chipped away at the middle-order and the Lions were unable to really build momentum thanks to tight spells from their spinners, Prenelan Subrayen (1/24 off three overs) and Jon-Jon Smuts (0/19 off three).

Andile Simelane picked up 2/36 in his four overs, claiming the wicket of Mitchell van Buuren for 10, while Daryn Dupavillon was again loose in his spell (1/44 in four).

The key partnership for the Lions was an unbroken 46 for the sixth wicket between Delano Potgieter (32 off 29 balls) and Evan Jones (29 off 10). Jones, in particular, showed his relish for some brutal hitting at the death and the Lions’ total should be a difficult one for the Dolphins to reach.

DP WORLD LIONS: Zubayr Hamza, Wandile Makwethu (wk), Joshua Richards, Mitchell van Buuren (capt), Connor Esterhuizen, Delano Potgieter, Evan Jones, Tshepo Moreki, Codi Yusuf, Kwena Maphaka, Junaid Dawood

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