Province squeeze home by two runs over the Dolphins

WSB Western Province beat the Hollywoodbets Dolphins by two runs in a low-scoring CSA T20 Challenge match at Kingsmead in Durban on Friday night.

Province won the toss and batted first, scoring a modest 148 for eight in their 20 overs, a below-average total for a team batting first in a day-night match at Kingsmead.

The Dolphins, however, failed to take due advantage and were behind the eight-ball for most of their innings.

The home team eventually needed 18 to win off the final over delivered by Beuran Hendricks.

Prenelan Subrayen slammed a two and a straight six off the first two balls, while Maharaj top-edged a four off the penultimate ball.

Needing a four to win off the final delivery, Maharaj only managed a single to long-on as the Dolphins finished on 146 for seven.

Today's gallery images by Darren Stewart/Gallo Images.#WPcricket #westernprovince #BoysInBlue💙 #WSBWP🧡 #WozaNawe #T20challenge pic.twitter.com/EiUUfEO8GN

— Western Province Men (@WP_Blitz) March 8, 2024

The Dolphins’ troubles began early in their run chase, wounded by Nandre Burger’s hostile opening spell of two overs in which he had Bryce Parsons caught behind for a duck.

In all he only conceded five runs in that spell and 13 runs in all as he intimidated the home team’s batters.

After Burger had set the tone, three Province bowlers, spinner Kyle Simmonds and pacemen Mihlali Mpongwana and Mthiwekhaya Nabe, claimed two wickets each.

BATSMEN STRUGGLE

If the Province batters never really got to grips with the pitch or the bowling, the same could be said of the Dolphins’ batters with Jason Smith top-scoring with 27.

Most of the batters got starts, with Khaya Zondo and Brad Porteous getting 20 apiece, but nobody went on to build the kind of knock needed for victory.

Much the same happened when Province batted with player of the match Jonathan Bird (40 off 30 balls with two sixes) top-scoring for the visitors.

David Bedingham off-drove a superb six off Okuhle Cele in the second over but then hit across the line at his next ball and was trapped leg before.

His partner, Tony de Zorzi, clubbed two fours and a six but then flat-batted Cele to Zondo at cover who took a fine catch.

Skipper Kyle Verreynne also looked promising in the short-term, but also lost his wicket at an inopportune time, top-edging Maharaj to Jon-Jon Smuts at “45”.

The biggest partnership of the innings featured Bird and Mihlali Mpongwana who put together 44 in 34 balls for the fourth wicket before Porteous – with his first delivery – had Bird caught behind by wicketkeeper Grant Roelofsen.

DOLPHINS: Grant Roelofsen (wk), Bryce Parsons, Jon-Jon Smuts, Bradley Porteous, Khaya Zondo, Jason Smith, Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj (capt), Prenelan Subrayen, Ottniel Baartman, Okuhle Cele.

WESTERN PROVINCE: Tony de Zorzi, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (capt, wk), Jonathan Bird, Mihlali Mpongwana, Kyle Simmonds, Onke Nyaku, Abdallah Bayoumy, Beuran Hendricks, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Nandre Burger.