Records tumble as Warriors batsmen overpower Dolphins
THE Warriors smashed their way to a seven wicket win as records tumbled in a fantastic CSA T20 Challenge match at Buffalo Park last night.
The Dolphins set the Warriors a huge 217 runs to win with the hosts crossing the line with a full over to spare.
The Dolphins’ 216/5 at the end of 20 overs was the highest ever T20 total at Buffalo Park and first team to score over 200, with the Warriors eclipsing them with 217/3 in a match reminiscent of the Proteas 438 game against Australia back in 2006.
A number of other records for Buffalo Park and the two teams on show also fell on an amazing night of cricket which saw 38 boundaries and 22 maximums in total hammered.
Captain Jon-Jon Smuts, with an unbeaten 107, led the Warriors to the win, with Colin Ingram (55) backing him up superbly, while the Dolphins saw Kevin Pietersen (81) and Morne van Wyk (77) star for them.
The Warriors’ chase got off to a disastrous start as makeshift opener Clyde Fortuin fell for a third ball duck to Mthokozisi Shezi.
However, this brought Ingram to the crease and, along with Smuts, they began tearing into the Dolphins’ bowling attack.
Smuts was dropped for 16 in the fourth over, with the ball going for six, and this allowed the Warriors to bring up the 50 in the fifth over, off 28 balls.
Just 21 more balls were needed for the Warriors to score the next 50 as they brought up the hundred in the ninth over, and just after reaching his half century Ingram was trapped for 55 off 26 balls (6x4, 3x6) by Imran Tahir in the 10th over.
Smuts pulled Tahir over mid wicket for a six in the 12th over to bring up his half century, with the Warriors’ 150 coming up in the 14th over.
Smuts brought up his century in the 18th over and the Warriors’ 200 came up in the same over, with the Warriors cruising home for the win.
At the toss the Dolphins elected to bat, with Warriors opening bowler Basheer Walters striking in the first over as Cameron Delport yorkered for five.
This brought Pietersen to the wicket and along with van Wyk they began to hammer the Warriors’ bowling attack.
Van Wyk brought up the Dolphins’ 50 in the fifth over off just 26 balls and two balls later was given a reprieve on 18 when Qaasim Adams dropped him off the bowling of Magala.
Van Wyk reached his half century in the 10th over, the Dolphins passed 100 in the 11th, and then Pietersen hammered Aya Gqamane for consecutive sixes over long on, the first which brought up his 50 in the 12th over.
The Dolphins brought up the 150 in the 15th over and finally, in the next, Walters returned to break the 145-run partnership, having van Wyk caught behind by Fortuin for 77 off 52 balls (12x4).
Robbie Frylinck then smashed 22 off nine balls (4x4, 1x6) and, after hitting Magala for three consecutive boundaries in the 17th over, the bowler got his revenge, uprooting the off stump.
Pietersen still had time to hammer two sixes back over Andrew Birch’s head in the 18th over, before Magala bowled him for 81 of 46 balls (4x4, 6x6) in the 19th, with the 200 coming up at the end of that over.