Marques Ackerman struck a brilliant 74 – the first half-century by a Hollywoodbets Dolphins’ batter in this season’s competition – to earn his team their first victory in the CSA T20 Challenge this season.
After four consecutive defeats, the win, over WSB Western Province at Kingsmead in Durban on Sunday, may not be enough to earn the home team a place in the playoffs, but it will surely give them confidence for the future.
The Dolphins, who had put Western Province into bat, faced the tough task of overhauling the visitors’ total of 167 for six.
The nature of their task was all the more challenging because the Dolphins’ batting in this competition has been particularly poor.
And when Tshepang Dithole and Slade van Staden fell to soft dismissals in the first 13 balls of the run chase, the Dolphins’ dressing-room must have feared the worst.
Enter Ackerman, in partnership with Jason Smith, and the pair batted beautifully – secure yet aggressive, with Smith in particular taking the fight to the Province bowlers.
The pair had added 68 off 43 balls for the third wicket when part-time legspinner Jonathan Bird was brought on for the 10th over.
His first ball was a half-tracker that Smith obligingly hit down deep-midwicket’s throat to depart for 39 in 25 balls.
Supporters must have held their breath, again, but Bryce Parsons quickly eased nerves as he fitted in seamlessly in support of Ackerman – not least with some speedy running between the wickets – who by now was showing the full range of his inventive strokeplay, from square drives to hooks, slog-sweeps and reverse ramps, as the little left-hander sped to 74 in 47 balls.
Ackerman then gave his wicket away, as he is prone to do, when singles would have sufficed for victory, leaping out at Kyle Simmonds and being hopelessly marooned down the pitch as he was stumped by Daniel Smith.
He and Parsons (27* in 20 balls) had added further 66 in 45 balls.
Bradley Porteous and Hanu Viljoen quickly followed him back to the dressing-room as the Dolphins’ innings briefly stuttered but Ackerman’s assault had ensured that not even a nervy tail could mess up the victory charge and Andile Simelane struck the fifth ball of the penultimate over from Wesley Bedja for four to secure the win.
BIRD FLIES TO FIFTY
Earlier, Bird struck his first half-century of this season’s competition to lead Province to their total which, in retrospect, they will consider was 20 short of where they needed to be on a Kingsmead pitch that had some decent pace and bounce.
Ottniel Baartman, Okuhle Cele and Smith bowled the overs that caused Province to lose their momentum, helped by a hamstring injury suffered by Juan James and the soft dismissal of George Linde, undone by a slower ball from Cele.
Tall medium-pacer Mpongwana began his innings particularly well, but was off-strike too often in the death overs and was unable to press home his attack as he would have wished, although he did finish with an impressive unbeaten 30 in 20 balls (2x4s, 2x6s).
After looking in a dominating position after 15 overs, the Province innings slowed to a relative crawl as they could only add 32 in the last five overs – a key moment in the match.
Eddie Moore and Bird had begun the Province innings briskly, reaching 37 in four overs before Moore mistimed a pull and was comfortably caught by Parsons at mid-on.
Kyle Simmonds, sent in to strike quick runs, was quickly out in identical fashion, well caught by a tumbling Prenelan Subrayen.
Bird and Valentine Kitime renewed the innings’ early momentum with a fine partnership of 63 in 43 balls for the third wicket before Kitime ran himself out for 26, another soft dismissal gifted to the Dolphins.
The home team, despite conceding quick runs to Province through the middle overs with Mpongwana and Linde adding 41 in 20 balls for the fifth wicket – were able to pick up wickets with some regularity – a recovery emphasised by their excellent defensive effort in the last five overs.
The main wicket-taker for the Dolphins was once again medium-pacer Andile Simelane who, though expensive, claimed three wickets at the expense of 44 runs. Cele took 2-29 in his four overs.
HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS: Tshepang Dithole, Slade van Staden, Marques AckermJason Smith, Bryce Parsons, Bradley Porteous, Hanu Viljoen, Andile Simelane, Prenelan Subrayen (capt), Okuhle Cele, Ottniel Baartmen
WSB WESTERN PROVINCE: Jonathan Bird, Edward Moore, Valentine Kitme, Daniel Smith, Mihlali Mpongwana, George Linde, Kyle Simmonds, Beuran Hendricks, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Wesley Bedja, Juan James