PORT ELIZABETH – Keshav Maharaj’s career-best bowling figures spurred the Dolphins on to a first Sunfoil Series win of the season as they beat the Warriors by 55 runs on the final day at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.
The Standard Bank Proteas spinner and stand-in captain claimed seven for 76 – the best bowling figures by any bowler in 2017/18 – to help his side claim the final four wickets and bowl the hosts out for 230 before lunch.
The Warriors had been chasing a target of 286 and resumed the final day on 172/6, but were dismissed in 78.5 overs as the visitors claimed only the third overall win of the campaign to stay in the hunt for the title.
Simon Harmer and Clyde Fortuin, both on four, were the two unbeaten batsmen at the start, and they kept their side in contention for the opening 10 overs when they shifted the score on to 199/6.
But the latter fell to Senuran Muthusamy for 15 to open the door for the Dolphins and Maharaj then took out Ayabulela Gqamane (12) and Tladi Bokako (0) both leg before wicket with the total on 212.
Anrich Nortje (3) was then run out, leaving Harmer, the hero with the ball for the Warriors after he took 12 wickets earlier in the game, stranded on 36.
Maharaj, meanwhile, improved on his previous best figures of 7/89 in the same fixture last season as his side reduced the gap at the top of the table.