Settled Dolphins excited by Lions semi-final match-up:
Durban – Following two consecutive CSA T20 Challenge wins and a favour from the bizhub Highveld Lions, the Hollywoodbets Dolphins have booked a spot in the competition semi-finals against the Lions at the Wanderers on Wednesday.
The topsy-turvy nature of the Dolphins campaign meant that the final day of the round robin phase of the competition was going to be crucial, and a clinical win against the WSB Cape Cobras was all the Dolphins could do before relying on the Lions to get one over the Multiply Titans.
Grant Morgan’s chargers have found a winning formula at the back end of the campaign and the coach is not going to change the tactics now that they are in a play-off game.
“We will got the Wanderers with an open mind but we won’t allow our tactics to be influenced too much,” Morgan said.
“We have struck a good balance so far in the competition and we don’t want that to be changed when we get up there.
“It has been a long season and we know that the Wanderers has had a lot of cricket played on it but we are going to go and expect a traditional Wanderers wicket.
“If it is slow then that plays into our hands but we won’t expect that.”
This semi-final will be the fourth white ball play-off in two seasons for Morgan’s men and despite the route they took the coach believes his side continues to grow.
“Although it’s not ideal to come from where we did, it is encouraging that we made the play-off’s because it takes a certain type of steel from the players to get through from the position we were in.
“Maybe the side is maturing a bit showing that they can come back from tough positions,” he added.
The Lions have been one of the most consistent sides in the competition with a handful of Proteas and a few players who are in good form. They have only lost two fixtures during the competition and beat the Dolphins by 18 runs in the only meeting of the competition.
Morgan knows they have some big game players and hopes that his team can put a peg in the sand early against the table-toppers.
“Their top order is strong with (Ryan) Rickelton coming into form and then they have Proteas like Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen doing well.
“They have fire-power down the order with Dwaine Pretorius and Wiaan Mulder who add that all-rounder element.
“Bowling-wise, Bjorn Fortuin up front has kept the runs down and taken wickets so he has been able to dictate the pace of play.
“They don’t have Beuren Hendricks anymore so you can press the button against their seam attack, but you have to pick the right moment against them,” Morgan explained.
The Dolphins will go into the clash with the same squad that did the business in Port Elizabeth and Durban last week for the clash on Wednesday.
Hollywoodbets Dolphins Squad:
Sarel Erwee, Morné van Wyk, Cody Chetty, Khaya Zondo (c), Marques Ackerman, Andile Phehlukwayo, Rob Frylinck, Sibz Makhanya, Keshav Maharaj, Prenelan Subrayen, Daryn Dupavillon, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Mthokozisi Shezi, Senuran Muthusamy.
The post Settled Dolphins excited by Lions semi-final match-up appeared first on Hollywoodbets Dolphins.
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