Warriors choke Dolphins out in devastating loss

THE DOLPHINS played appalling cricket on the final morning yesterday, as they capitulated to a 93-run loss to the Warriors in their 4-Day Franchise Series clash at Kingsmead.

When they arrived the Dolphins needed just 199 more runs to win, and their biggest concern might have been the weather suddenly changing on them.

Not this week, however. When Eathan Bosch was bowled by Jon-Jon Smuts, around midday, the Dolphins’ shortcomings were exposed in brilliant sunshine. They lacked composure, character and collective common sense, as they caved in under the mounting pressure.

“When we chatted this morning, “Gobes” (Warriors coach Rivash Gobind) said if we could get them to 100 for four, we would be in business,” an ecstatic Smuts explained after the cricketing heist.

They knew that they were in the money when Dane Vilas sliced a catch to mid-off, and exposed the lower order.

The Warriors skipper wore a smile as wide as the hole that the Dolphins entire batting card disappeared into, as he explained how chuffed he was to see his bowlers learnt from an average first innings.

“The boys adjusted beautifully. Simon Harmer is a quality bowler, and kept plugging away, and then the quicks stepped up brilliantly.”

Sisanda Magala, pictured, had been operating at medium-pace when the Dolphins made 335 but, as he sniffed an opening, he suddenly dropped the handbrake and gazumped to medium-fast.

“He was crucial for us. His 50 with the bat gave us something to bowl at, and then he cranked it up when he saw the chance. That’s the thing with fast bowlers,” Smuts said.

Magala blew away Proteas Robbie Frylinck and Keshav Maharaj off consecutive balls that rushed through, but the writing was on the wall by then.

Smuts himself had chanced his arm and found four wickets, some due to truly atrocious shot-selection from a home side that must take a long, hard look at themselves.

Few could speak of not being culpable in their team’s suicide. There were cavalier strokes at the worst of times.

There was a lack of courage, even, as they simply showed no appetite for the scrap that was in front of them.