Handful of Dolphins in MSL T20 play-off mix:
As the Mzansi Super League heads into the play-off phase there are a number of Hollywoodbets Dolphins stars dotted through the remaining three sides in the competition ahead of the grand final in Cape Town on Sunday.
The round robin section of the competition came to an end on Wednesday night with the Durban Heat defeating the Tshwane Spartans in a final over thriller at Centurion, but with no overall influence on the log, eyes were shifting to the Wanderers where the Jozi Stars host the Paarl Rocks on Friday.
The Stars started slowly but heading into the second half of the competition they have become serious title contenders. Lead by experienced Dolphins campaigner Dane Vilas the Stars have really come into their own.
Vilas has been consistent with the bat and behind the stumps for the Stars and played a vital knock at Kingsmead recently that saw them claim a crucial victory over the Durban Heat that helped them into second place on the log.
Also in the Stars squad is Calvin Savage. Unfortunately for Savage but fortunately for the Stars their all-rounders Dan Christian, Dwayne Pretorius and Nono Pongolo have been crucial to their efforts so far which has meant he has missed a fair amount of games.
The Paarl Rocks snuck into the play-off via a belligerent half century by former Dolphin Cameron Delport which helped them to a bonus point win over the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants.
Amongst the Dolphins players doing the job for the Rocks are Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Kerwin Mungroo and Eathan Bosch.
Van Jaarsveld played an important part in the batting line up for the majority of the round robin phase of the competition, and will be hoping to break back into the side for their clash on Friday.
Bosch has spent the vast majority of the competition on the side line but contributed in the one game that he was selected for. Against the Jozi Stars he picked up a wicket and scored 17 down the order.
Young Kerwin Mungroo has made himself indispensable for the Rocks. The speedster took three for 29 against the Stars and then followed that up with tidy figures of one for 26 against the Giants.
The Cape Town Blitz started the competition like a house on fire and have maintained a lot of that momentum which has led to them hosting the final of the inaugural Mzansi Super League this Sunday.
Of their squad there are two Hollywoodbets Dolphins players involved.
Sibonbelo Makhanya played in the opening two matches of the competition for the Blitz which saw them beat the Spartans and the Heat.
Phehlukwayo missed out on the first few games on tour with the Proteas but has featured in their last seven games.
He has picked up a few wickets and contributed with the bat, sometimes finding himself batting in the top five.
Phehlukwayo has shown in the past that he is a player for the big occasion and could well feature prominently in their efforts to win the first ever Mzansi Super League.
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The post Handful of Dolphins in MSL T20 play-off mix appeared first on Hollywoodbets Dolphins.
Morkel magic gives Heat final game honours:
A brilliant unbeaten 57 from 28 balls from Durban Heat captain Albie Morkel handed his side an exciting two wicket victory over the Tshwane Spartans in their final Mzansi Super League match at SuperSport Park on Wednesday.
In some final over drama, Kyle Abbott was caught off a no ball with two runs to get off just two deliveries.
The no ball from Eldred Hawkin was followed up with the single that gave the Heat their second win over the Spartans this season.
The Spartans started solidly with the bat and the openers Gihahn Cloete and Andrea Agathangelou took their side to 40 before the dangerous Rashid Khan picked up the first wicket.
He bowled Agathangelou with a well disguised googly for 18 with the score on 40 in the sixth over of the clash.
Keshav Maharaj continued to impress when he then bowled an advancing Cloete for 19 in the following over.
Zimbabwean Sikander Raza also added 19 to the Spartans’ total before Maharaj picked up his second wicket of the spell. Raza was caught by Kyle Abbott in the 12th over with the total on 80.
The Spartans’ two senior players, AB de Villiers and Eoin Morgan, than came together and took control of the game.
Kyle Abbott was unfortunate to have AB de Villiers caught off a no ball and it cost the Heat as De Villiers played freely right up until the break.
Of the 62 runs that they put together Morgan only added seven before he became Okuhle Cele’s first Mzansi Super League victim.
Tony de Zorzi joined De Villiers and scored 11, however the focus remained on De Villiers who continued to bat well.
De Zorzi was LBW to Khan in the final over and Rory Kleinveldt was run out first ball.
De Villiers’ 93 not out off 52 deliveries helped his side to 188 for six in their 20 overs.
The Heat spinners were the pick of the bowlers with Khan finishing with two for 25 in four overs and Maharaj two for 29 in his four overs.
The chase never quite got off the ground to start with Morné van Wyk falling for six in the second over.
Hashim Amla was unable to get off the mark, falling for a duck, with the score on nine.
Weekend hero for the Heat Khaya Zondo was the next batsman to go, caught for two and then David Miller followed soon after for four.
At the conclusion of the power play, the Heat were 28 for the loss of four wickets.
SJ Erwee and Heinrich Klaasen tried to steer the Heat ship to safety and did a good job initially. The pair put on 40 before Erwee was LBW to one that kept a bit low for 30.
Klaasen showed some good form with the bat and hit some lusty blows on his way to 36 from 26 balls before he was caught.
At the loss of Klaasen for 36 the Heat were 98 for six in the 14th over still requiring 91 runs to win.
Captain Morkel and Keshav Maharaj began the momentum shift with a partnership of 41 in three overs.
Maharaj scored 23 off just 13 balls before he was bowled by a good yorker from Lutho Siphamla.
Rashid Khan hit one big six, but fell soon after for six which brought Abbott to the crease.
With 44 runs to get in just 20 deliveries Morkel took the game by the scruff of the neck.
He went 50 and Abbott finished on seven not out to give their side a come-from-behind victory – their third of the tournament and second in a row.
More information can be found at www.durbanheat.co.za
The post Morkel magic gives Heat final game honours appeared first on Hollywoodbets Dolphins.
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