JJ ton drills nail into Dolphins’ coffin

THE Dolphins’ T20 Challenge is over after they lost by seven wickets to the Warriors in East London last night. Not for the first time this season, the men from Durban contrived to lose a match that they looked well in at the halfway point.

The groundsman at Buffalo Park must be commended for serving up a surface that coughed up over 430 runs in just 40 overs, but the visitors were again let down by poor discipline with the ball.

The homs had a stunning, undefeated century from JJ Smuts at the top of the innings, with nine sixes drilling nail after nail into the Dolphins’ coffin. Having failed to defend 178 against the Cobras on Sunday at Kingsmead, Morne van Wyk’s team somehow failed to keep the Warriors out with a 217 war chest to defend.

Their total of 216 was built around a terrific 145-run alliance between Van Wyk and Kevin Pietersen for the second wicket. The veterans did all they could to give the Dolphins a fighting chance, with thrilling half centuries. Van Wyk (77 from 52 balls) continued a rich haul with the bat this term.

Pietersen, possibly for the last time this season, was even more brutal. Six sixes were flayed by the England star, as he blazed 81 off 46 balls.

And yet, despite the brilliance from their warhorses, their bowling again failed to keep their end of the deal.

Smuts was brutal on the slow men, with Keshav Maharaj disappearing for 39 runs in just two overs. He had been a surprise option with the new ball, but Smuts rumbled Van Wyk and coach Grant Morgan’s switch by clubbing Maharaj into submission.

The Dolphins couldn’t live with the Warriors hurricane, as the home skipper made a career best 108 not out.

With him was Colin Ingram, who blitzed the fastest half-century of the season.

The result leaves the Warriors just two points behind the Titans, but they have a game in hand. On this form, they will take sone stopping as they charge for the finish line.

The Dolphins, sadly, have a date with the equally woeful Knights on Sunday.