Dragons breathe fire as they thump dismal Dolphins

The Auto Investments North West Dragons thumped a dismal Hollywoodbets Dolphins by 43 runs in their CSA T20 Challenge match at Kingsmead in Durban on Wednesday.

It was the Dolphins’ fourth consecutive defeat and ended any lingering hopes they may have had of stealing into the playoffs. Replying to the Dragons’ moderate total of 136 for seven, the Dolphins could only manage 93 in 16.5 overs – the lowest total in this season’s competition to date. Only Jason Smith (26) – back from the UAE – and Bradley Porteous (21) reached double-figures in a pitiful effort.

Two Dragons’ bowlers, ex-Dolphin Kerwin Mungroo (3/21) and Bamanye Xenxe (4/25) were on hat-tricks as they tore through a feeble Dolphins’ line-up. It was Xenxe’s best return in T20 cricket.

The bonus-point win enables the Dragons to maintain their lead at the top of Division One with their fourth consecutive victory. The Dolphins, on the other hand, have yet to score a point in the competition in a dreadful start to their season under new coach Quinton Friend.

The manner of the Dolphins’ dismissals was particularly disappointing with Tshepang Dithole pulling Mungroo tamely to mid-on in the first over while key batter Marques Ackerman hooked a delivery from Migael Pretorius straight up in the air; Bryce Parsons played all around a straight delivery from Mungroo while Jon-Jon Smuts wafted at his first ball, a wide delivery from Mungroo, to be caught behind.

The only bright spot was a fifth-wicket partnership of 50 in 59 balls between Smith and Bradley Porteous. But Porteous perished a ball later, lofting a hook to deep square leg, and that, in effect, was that.

Aside from their disciplined bowling, the Dragons fielded tigerishly and showed the fire and enthusiasm that the Dolphins palpably lacked.

Earlier, paceman Andile Simelane returned his best analysis in T20 cricket when he took 4/20 to help restrict the Dragons to 136 for seven after Keshav Maharaj won the toss and put the visitors into bat.

Wihan Lubbe’s belligerent 49 in 29 balls (4x4s, 2x6s) had paved the way for what looked like an intimidating total for the log-leading Dragons. Cruising on 102 for two in the 14th over, the Dragons were breathing fire.

But then Simelane intervened, having Lubbe well caught on the square-leg boundary by Okuhle Cele, and the Dolphins did well to take a further five wickets for just 34 runs in the overs that remained.

Aside from Lubbe, only opener Janneman Malan (21) and Raynard van Tonder (23) – who went off injured before returning to bat late in the innings – went past 20 as the innings subsided to 136 for seven. As it turned out, it was more than enough.

DOLPHINS: Bryce Parsons, Tshepang Dithole (wk), Marques Ackerman, Jason Smith, Jon-Jon Smuts, Bradley Porteous, Andile Simelane, Keshav Maharaj (capt), Prenelan Subrayen, Daryn Dupavillon, Okuhl Cele

DRAGONS: Meeka-eel Prince (wk), Janneman Malan, Wihan Lubbe (capt), Raynard van Tonder, Lesiba Ngoepe, Ruan de Swardt, Migael Pretorius, Bamanya Xenxe, Caleb Seleka, Kerwin Mungroo, Achille Cloete