The Dafabet Warriors finished off their domestic season on a high when they defeated the Dolphins by 37 runs on the final day of their 4-Day Series cricket match at St George's Park on Sunday.
The KwaZulu-Natal visitors put in a terrific effort after they were set a target of 382 to win but were eventually dismissed for 344 in the final session.
Fittingly, it was Warriors skipper Senuran Muthusamy who set up the victory with a five-wicket haul on Sunday after making a century in the Warriors' first innings on Thursday.
He finished with a haul of 5/95 after taking two wickets in the first innings, underlining his massive influence in the final outcome.
And yet there was a lot of good work done by the Dolphins on the final day as they resumed on 37/2 in pursuit of their daunting target.
They were quickly reduced to 50/4 before Khaya Zondo, who was finally dismissed for 118 off 174 balls, and Jason Smith fought hard to get their team back into the game.
They added 132 for the fifth wicket before Smith was dismissed and though the Warriors kept chipping away at the Dolphins' batting, Eathan Bosch stood up well in an innings of 80, adding 74 for the seventh wicket with Zondo.
Bosch was unbeaten at the end but the final task proved just beyond their reach and the Warriors celebrated after finally registering their first win of the season.
Earlier the King brothers, CJ and JP, put the Warriors in the driving seat with outstanding performances with the ball and bat.
Having totalled 264 in their first innings, of which CJ made 24, he then led the way with the ball for his maiden first-class five-wicket haul to give the Warriors a handy lead of 56.
Opening the bowling, the younger King claimed 5/61 in 15 overs to put the home side on top before JP took over at the crease with an outstanding knock of 143 off 179 balls to drive home that advantage.
It wasn't plain sailing, though, because the Warriors, following a decent opening stand of 66 by Jiveshan Pillay (40) and Jordan Hermann (26), lost five wickets for 40 runs to slip to 106/5.
But JP showed himself to be in a different class. Taking the attack to the bowlers, he smashed five sixes and 14 fours in reaching his maiden first-class century, propelling the Warriors to 325 all out and the overall lead of 381.
He received valuable assistance from Andile Mokgakane (30) and Jason Raubenheimer (27) in stands of 82 for the sixth wicket and 63 for the eighth wicket.
In their first innings on Thursday, Muthusamy was influential in the Warriors reaching a decent total of 264 after they had slumped to 80/5.
Batting with commendable application, he stroked 15 fours and cracked one six in his knock of 106 off 215 balls, repairing the innings with help from Hermann (52), Mokgakane (37) and CJ King (24).
The Herald
Warriors defeat Dolphins to end season on a high
Image: SYDNEY SESHIBEDI/GALLO IMAGES
The Dafabet Warriors finished off their domestic season on a high when they defeated the Dolphins by 37 runs on the final day of their 4-Day Series cricket match at St George's Park on Sunday.
The KwaZulu-Natal visitors put in a terrific effort after they were set a target of 382 to win but were eventually dismissed for 344 in the final session.
Fittingly, it was Warriors skipper Senuran Muthusamy who set up the victory with a five-wicket haul on Sunday after making a century in the Warriors' first innings on Thursday.
He finished with a haul of 5/95 after taking two wickets in the first innings, underlining his massive influence in the final outcome.
And yet there was a lot of good work done by the Dolphins on the final day as they resumed on 37/2 in pursuit of their daunting target.
They were quickly reduced to 50/4 before Khaya Zondo, who was finally dismissed for 118 off 174 balls, and Jason Smith fought hard to get their team back into the game.
They added 132 for the fifth wicket before Smith was dismissed and though the Warriors kept chipping away at the Dolphins' batting, Eathan Bosch stood up well in an innings of 80, adding 74 for the seventh wicket with Zondo.
Bosch was unbeaten at the end but the final task proved just beyond their reach and the Warriors celebrated after finally registering their first win of the season.
Earlier the King brothers, CJ and JP, put the Warriors in the driving seat with outstanding performances with the ball and bat.
Having totalled 264 in their first innings, of which CJ made 24, he then led the way with the ball for his maiden first-class five-wicket haul to give the Warriors a handy lead of 56.
Opening the bowling, the younger King claimed 5/61 in 15 overs to put the home side on top before JP took over at the crease with an outstanding knock of 143 off 179 balls to drive home that advantage.
It wasn't plain sailing, though, because the Warriors, following a decent opening stand of 66 by Jiveshan Pillay (40) and Jordan Hermann (26), lost five wickets for 40 runs to slip to 106/5.
But JP showed himself to be in a different class. Taking the attack to the bowlers, he smashed five sixes and 14 fours in reaching his maiden first-class century, propelling the Warriors to 325 all out and the overall lead of 381.
He received valuable assistance from Andile Mokgakane (30) and Jason Raubenheimer (27) in stands of 82 for the sixth wicket and 63 for the eighth wicket.
In their first innings on Thursday, Muthusamy was influential in the Warriors reaching a decent total of 264 after they had slumped to 80/5.
Batting with commendable application, he stroked 15 fours and cracked one six in his knock of 106 off 215 balls, repairing the innings with help from Hermann (52), Mokgakane (37) and CJ King (24).
The Herald
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