In a riveting advertisement for the traditional format, the Dolphins registered a nerve-tingling two-wicket win over the Dafabet Warriors on the final day of their Cricket SA 4-Day Series match in Durban on Thursday.
Set the daunting task of scoring 365 to win, the home team edged to victory under growing pressure as they finally reached 370/8 thanks to some bold strokes by Andile Simelane in the closing stages.
As the Warriors fought back with admirable vigour after the Dolphins batters had dominated most of the day, Simelane, with the score on 346/8, decided that it was time to seize the moment.
In a brief innings of 13 deliveries, he struck three fours and six to reach 21 not out, taking the Dolphins past their target.
It put the finishing touches to an exemplary display of watchfulness and positive batting by the Dolphins batters after they resumed play on Thursday on 70/1.
With the backbone of the innings provided by Semal Pillay’s excellent knock of 111, there was gritty support in half-centuries from Slade van Staden (61), Khaya Zondo (71) and Eathan Bosch (53) as the slowly but surely chipped away at the Warriors’ lead.
Pillay and Van Staden, who made 52 in the first innings, laid the platform for their victory bid with a second wicket stand of 131 before the Warriors sent some anxious times through the home camp by picking up four wickets for the addition of just 63 runs.
But Zondo was in control at one end and he found a willing partner in Bosch as they fashioned a crucial stand of 85 for the sixth wicket, taking them to within distance of the finish line.
And yet the Warriors were not done. Determinedly they stuck to their mission and a flurry of three wickets suddenly had them grasping at a result which seemed to have slipped away from them.
At 346/8 it was still anyone’s game, but that was when Simelane decided to take things into his own hands in the bravest of fashions, finally reaping the benefits of some bold strokeplay.
Despite the defeat, the Warriors still ended second on the log to qualify for the final against the top-placed Lions outfit after the North West Dragons failed to beat Boland in their final fixture.
The final will take place in Johannesburg from February 18 to 21.
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