JOHANNESBURG – A 92-run partnership for the first wicket between Keegan Petersen and Sarel Erwee saw the Dolphins earn a third consecutive win in the CSA T20 Challenge in Durban on Sunday.
The Dolphins again mastered home conditions – on a slow and low surface, they kept a vice like grip on the Warriors, who despite some smart moves to try and be aggressive with the bat, were also not so clever in executing their tactics.
Both Gihahn Cloete and Lesiba Ngoepe played poorly, while the decision to move Marco Marais to open – a good aggressive move – wasn’t successful, leaving the Warriors on 47/3 in the ninth over.
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It meant neither JJ Smuts, nor skipper Sinethemba Qeshile could assert themselves quickly, as they needed to consolidate. That proved costly – leaving the Warriors about 30 runs short of what would have been a competitive total.
In the circumstances Qeshile did reasonably well to make 47 not out off 38 balls, but unlike the Dolphins managed later, the Warriors didn’t pull together a partnership of substance.
Keshav Maharaj was once again magnificent. He should have had Cloete stumped in the first over, but Mangaliso Mosehle, dropped the ball. And while he finished wicketless the fact that he bowled two maiden overs was good as taking a wicket. In total he bowled 18 dot balls, conceding just 12 runs, with six of those coming via a Marais slog over cow corner.
A required run rate of just 7.2 an over, was never going to be stressful for the Dolphins. Petersen, who hasn’t had a bat since November, was able to ease his way into his innings, while Erwee took on the Warriors left arm wrist-spinner, Lizo Masikho and on two occasions deposited him out of the ground, requiring new balls to be sought.
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Both openers made half centuries – Erwee, taking 37 balls in his innings, hitting two fours and four sixes. Petersen managed his innings well, hitting three fours and a six off 56 deliveries.
The win, the Dolphins’ third, leaves them in control of the competition, and it’s unlikely they won’t feature in the play-offs. Their big goal is now to finish atop the log.
For the Warriors, they like the Cobras and Knights, desperately need a win to keep their hopes alive in the shortened competition.
SCORECARD
Warriors 143/5 (Qeshile 47*)
Dolphins 128/2 (Petersen 58*, Erwee 52)
Dolphins won by 3 runs on DLS method.
Monday’s Fixtures:
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