Prenelan Subrayen and Jon-Jon Smuts inspired the Hollywoodbets Dolphins to a 20-run victory over the Gbets Rocks in the second semifinal of the CSA T20 Challenge at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Wednesday night.
The result means they qualify to meet the Momentum Multiply Titans in the final this weekend.
The Dolphins owed a lot to their captain, Subrayen, who not only took 3-18 in his four overs, but also struck a quickfire 22 in 11 balls at the back of his team’s innings to fire 18 off the final over so that his team were able to reach 146 – a challenging target on a pitch that became lower and slower as the match progressed.
Between them, Subrayen and his spin twin, Smuts (2-17), took 5-35 in their combined eight overs to stymie the Rocks’ batsmen after they had enjoyed a bright start with Janneman Malan, in particular, timing the ball superbly in his 37 in 39 balls.
It was Subrayen who took the key wicket of Malan, luring him down the pitch and leaving Grant Roelofsen with a simple stumping.
Clyde Fortuin (7), Christiaan Jonker (5) and Michael Copeland (0) were all undone by the web of deceit that the spinners spun and, once again, it was up to Farhaan Behardien to arrest the slide and attempt one of his grand escapes.
The former Protea, as cool as ever under pressure, found a willing partner in Hardus Viljoen and the pair added 44 for the seventh wicket until the Dolphins’ nerves began to jangle. But then Ottniel Baartman, their most successful pace bowler in this competition, bowled a slower ball that caused the muscular Viljoen to hole out to long-on where Eathan Bosch took a good low catch.
That was effectively it for the Rocks, with Behardien defiant in defeat, unbeaten on 31 in 32 balls.
Earlier, the Dolphins also suffered a number of difficulties on a pitch where free strokeplay was difficult and it was the Gbets Rocks medium-pacer, Bamanye Xenxe, who tore the heart out of their batting, taking 4-34 to hustle them out for 146 in 19.5 overs.
Xenxe, who has been quite the phenomenon in this competition, now has 18 wickets which puts him well ahead of all his competitors. He is a bowler whose exuberance and positive attitude gets him wickets as much as the quality of his deliveries. Last night he took a wicket with his first ball, with Keegan Petersen edging a legside wide to wicketkeeper Clyde Fortuin.
In his second over, he induced Smuts to edge a hook to Fortuin. He then tweaked a calf muscle and was forced to go off the field for treatment. Nothing daunted he returned to deliver the 18th over and once again picked up a wicket with his first ball with Bosch pulling a short ball to midwicket. He then completed his four-for with the scalp of Subrayen, caught on the extra-cover boundary.
He was given valuable support by veteran legspinner Shaun von Berg who bowled superbly to take 3-22 on a slow pitch taking considerable turn as well as providing uneven bounce. His dismissal of Andile Simelane, superbly stumped by Fortuin, was a perfect example of the wrist-spinner’s art.
As for the Dolphins, they began well with their “gun” batsman Grant Roelofsen and Keegan Petersen putting on 42 in five overs. A number of their batsmen got starts but the team will be frustrated by the number of soft dismissals that were given away with Roelofsen (26) pulling a Von Berg long hop to deep square leg, Khaya Zondo (18) striking a Leus du Plooy long hop to deep midwicket and Jason Smith (22) hitting Ferisco Adams straight to deep midwicket.
However it was Subrayen who best represented the difference between the two teams as his late blast enabled the Dolphins to reach a total that was to prove just out of the Rocks’ reach.
DOLPHINS: Grant Roelofsen (wk), Keegan Petersen, Jon-Jon Smuts, Tshepang Dithole, Khaya Zondo, Jason Smith, Andile Simelane, Eathan Bosch, Daryn Dupavillon, Prenelan Subrayen (capt), Ottniel Baartman
ROCKS: Janneman Malan, Leus du Plooy, Clyde Fortuin (wk), Farhaan Behardien, Christiaan Jonker, Michael Copeland, Ferisco Adams (capt), Hardus Viljoen, Shaun von Berg, Khwezi Gumede, Bamanye Xenxe