Dolphins lose last-gasp thriller to the Lions in Potch:
Durban – The Hollywoodbets Dolphins lost a final ball thriller Momentum One Day Cup clash with the bizhub Highveld Lions at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom on Saturday evening, squandering a chance to go into the new year topping the tournament log.
The hosts got across the line by two wickets, needing a solitary run off the last ball of the match, which Hardus Viljoen ran off Calvin Savage’s final delivery to secure the result.
The Lions were set 254 for victory, thanks largely to a middle order stand of 72 by Robbie Frylinck and Calvin Savage, after the Dolphins, who had won the toss and elected to bat first, were stifled at 88/3 after 20 overs, and then 163/6 with twelve overs left in their innings.
Frylinck top scored with 45 off 31 deliveries, matched by Savage’s 37 off 26 balls, to set up a competitive target for the host to chase down.
Mthokosizi Shezi ripped through the Lions top order, leaving them reeling at 37 for the loss of three inside the first powerplay.
They clawed their way back into the match despite some solid bowling from Prenelen Subrayen and Sibz Makhanya, who returned a career-best 3 for 36 in his eight overs.
The tense final over left the Lions seeking eight runs with two wickets in hand, and included a no-ball from Savage on the fourth delivery that gave the hosts some breathing space.
At the end of a week of topsy-turvy results, the outcome, which mirrors the needle result in the recent RAM SLAM encounter between these two teams at the same venue, leaves the Momentum One Day Cup log wide open after two rounds, with five teams grouped within one point of one another, and only the Knights pointless.
“When you lose on the last ball you look at every small thing,” said skipper Khaya Zondo after the match. “You ask every guy to look at what they could have done better.”
“Whether it is with the bat or the ball or in the field – maybe just walking in a little bit harder – there are so many things you can look at,” he added.
“We did have control and we just said that if we are not getting wickets, we need to keep hitting our lengths to make sure we aren’t giving them much. The guys stuck to the game plan as much as we could.”
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