Tag: Sunfoil Dolphins

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Kyle Simmonds Crowned Overall Division 1 SACA MVP

The 2025/26 domestic cricket season concludes with Western Province all-rounder Kyle Simmonds named Division 1 Overall SACA MVP. Simmonds earned…

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Liam Alder Named Overall SACA MVP for Domestic Division 2

Following the completion of all domestic fixtures, Liam Alder of the Garden Route Badgers finished at the top of the…

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TWELVE YEARS OF RESEARCH-BASED PLAYER SERVICE

Over the past 12 years, the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) has cemented its dedication to evidence-based practice through a…

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KP JOINS DOLPHINS FOR THE RAM SLAM T20

The Sunfoil Dolphins have re-signed global T20 star Kevin Pietersen for the upcoming RAM Slam T20 Challenge, adding a fresh injection of energy as the franchise prepares for the 2016/17 domestic cricket season.

Pietersen has again signed a five-match deal that will see him represent the KZN franchise in the second half of the round robin stage and will also turn out for the Dolphins in the playoff and final should the team progress to the knockout phase of the competition.

“I’m as excited as anything to have signed with the Dolphins again,” explains Pietersen.

“I had such a wonderful season with them last season and I really enjoyed the team, the camaraderie and the competition so it was a very easy decision to sign again for this season’s T20 competition.

“It will be great to getting back onto the cricket field again and I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone in Durban again as well.

“Here’s to a successful campaign!” he adds.

While disappointed to see Sunfoil Dolphins CEO, Pete de Wet’s time in charge of the KZN franchise draw to a close shortly, Pietersen is relishing the opportunity of working with newly appointed head coach, Grant Morgan again.

“It has been an absolute pleasure to deal with Pete (de Wet) – I’m sorry to see him leave the Dolphins, but I’m really excited to work with Grant Morgan who I know very well,” says Pietersen.

“Its great to have Kevin coming back and playing for the Dolphins again this season. He is a world class player in all formats of the game and in T20 he is no doubt one of the best there has ever been.” Said Morgan.

While Pietersen’s mentoring role was again evident during his time with the Dolphins last season, taking players such as Andile Phehlukwayo under his wing and guiding the exciting all-rounder, it was his effort with the bat that left the most telling impression.

The former Maritzburg College pupil and KZN age group player blasted 401 runs in just seven innings – including two hundreds and two fifties at an average of 80.20 and a strike of 172.84 – that ignited the competition as a whole and played a key role in seeing the Dolphins reach the final.

“Through my involvement with the Warriors last year, from the side of the field one could see and feel the impact Kevin had on the game,” says Morgan. “His results were of a freakish nature that really helped pilot the Dolphins into the final.”

“It’s a privilege to have a player join us at the Dolphins who has such an impact on the squad, the tournament as well as the fans and we look forward to him having a huge impact on our team, and indeed the whole competition, once again.”

Outgoing CEO, De Wet is another thrilled by Pietersen’s return and believes his inclusion in the squad’s T20 plans will yield positive results for the franchise.

“I’m extremely pleased we’ve been able to sign Kevin to the Sunfoil Dolphins again for this season’s RAM Slam T20 Challenge,” says De Wet.

“He added immense value to our franchise last year and having a guy like him around can only do wonders for the Dolphins again this time around.”

“We got very close to winning the T20 competition last year but unfortunately weren’t able to get over the line against the Titans in the final; hopefully having KP around again this year can help us achieve part of what we’re trying to achieve as a franchise this season.”

De Wet is also confident the remainder of the Dolphins squad has what it takes to achieve the franchise’s goals for 2016/17 and wishes the players and coaching staff well for their upcoming campaign.

“As the Dolphins gear up for a big season, Grant (Morgan) has been working really hard with the players that are not playing overseas and are available to him now and we’re already starting to see those guys hitting their straps.

“I will look back on my tenure at the Dolphins with much fondness and will certainly be keeping a close tabs on the results from New Zealand.

“I would like to wish the squad all the best of luck and hope that they will continue to put in the hard yards in the next couple of weeks and months leading up to the season.

“I have no doubt that they will bring success to Dolphins franchise in the very near future,” says De Wet.

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ABBOTT JOINS WARRIORS

Proteas fast Kyle Abbott will be the major arrival at the Warriors for the 2016/17 season after moving south from the Sunfoil Dolphins.

The 28-year-old leaves the KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union (KZNCU), having spent his entire career based in Durban.

Abbott made his debut for the franchise back in 2008/09 and went on to play in 39 four-day matches, taking an impressive 149 wickets in the process. He has 240 wickets in his entire first-class career, including 21 for South Africa in just seven Tests.

He also has over 200 limited-overs wickets to his name for the Dolphins and for South Africa.

Another newcomer is batsman Lesiba Ngoepe from the Western Cape.

The rest of the Warriors’ side has a familiar look about it, with stalwarts like Jon-Jon Smuts, Simon Harmer, Colin Ingram, Andrew Birch and Basheer Walters still on their books.

The full Warriors squad is: Colin Ackerman, Andrew Birch, Gihahn Cloete, Clyde Fortuin, Ayabulela Gqamane, Simon Harmer, Colin Ingram, Christiaan Jonker, Kyle Abbott, Lesiba Ngoepe, Jerry Nqolo, Sisanda Magala, Thandolwethu Mnyaka, Michael Price, Jon-Jon Smuts, Mohamed Vallie, Basheer Walters, David White, Ngazibini Sigwili.

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DOLPHINS APPOINT MORGAN AS HEAD COACH

The Sunfoil Dolphins have announced the appointment of Grant Morgan as the new Head Coach, marking a return to KwaZulu-Natal for the former coach of the KZN Inland side before furthering a very successful career as one of the top provincial coaches in the country.

Morgan, who originally hails from Port Elizabeth, is one of the country’s most decorated coaches at Amateur level and gained invaluable Franchise experience during his time as Assistant Coach of the Warriors during the 2015/16 domestic season.

The 44 year-old’s distinguished Amateur track record throughout South Africa, together with his strong ties to cricket in KwaZulu-Natal having been head coach of KZN Inland in 2012/13 and 2013/14, sees him take the reins of a Franchise team for the first time full of confidence.

“Being appointed as head coach of the Dolphins comes as a huge privilege, not only because of the honour associated with being chosen, but the excitement of being able to make an impact as well!” says Morgan.

“I have waited many years to coach at Franchise level and coached around the country however the nice thing about my journey is that I’ve managed to gain success at every stop along the way and hopefully that can continue here at the Dolphins!” he adds.

A product of Grey High School, Port Elizabeth and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Morgan enjoyed a strong career as a club and provincial player.

After making his debut for Eastern Province against England in 1993/94, he went on to earn a combined 52 First Class and 40 List A caps during his time at EP and Northerns.

With the transition into coaching starting during the twilight of his playing career already, taking on the role of player/coach at club level, Morgan made coaching his full focus upon his retirement in 2002.

Morgan was recognised for his contribution at provincial level with the award in 2005 of the Khaya Majola Memorial Award for service both on and off the field to amateur cricket.

“I’ve done my time and now I am ready for this incredibly exciting challenge!”

The experience and knowledge gained during his time as head coach of Northerns Cricket Academy, Tshwane University of Technology and University of Pretoria then saw him serve as Assistant Coach to Ray Jennings in the South Africa U19 setup that narrowly lost to India in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in Malaysia in 2007.

Morgan then served as National Academy head coach (2007 and 2008), head coach of the powerful Highveld Strikers (2008/09 to 2010/11) and NMMU’s National Club Championships winning side before taking control of the KZN Inland outfit.

The CSA level four accredited coach also served as Assistant Coach to the Royal Challengers Bangalore during the 2009 IPL and is a true product of the South African cricket system, now eager to make a strong contribution to the Sunfoil Dolphins setup.

“You’ve got to be a hard worker at this level, but I guess I’m also a bit of a maverick and can be quite gimmicky at times with charts, positive songs, notes, etc. but at the same time I’m all about trying to keep things simple whilst always trying to challenge the players,” explains Morgan.

Sunfoil Dolphins CEO, Pete de Wet was joined by Andrew Hudson, Shafiek Abrahams, Ben Dladla and Yunus Bobat on the five-person panel tasked with appointing the new coach.

“Grant has achieved great success at every level he has coached at and we expect that he will continue to achieve such success at Franchise level upon his appointment as our new head coach,” says De Wet.

“Grant comes with a unique coaching style, nurtured and tweaked over the years based on his wealth of experience and unwavering passion for the game, and we believe that he has what it takes to get the best out of our players.

“We were also struck by the tremendous understanding of the culture that exists within the Dolphins and here at Kingsmead and his appreciation of the goals we have set ourselves as a Franchise and the pathway we are currently on in order for us to achieve those.

“We are looking forward to the arrival of the new season and what it has install for us under Grant’s mentorship, as well as the future of Dolphins Cricket,” he adds.

Morgan will take office from 1 June 2016, in time to start pre-season preparations with the members of the squad who are not currently playing overseas, while Sunfoil Dolphins caretaker coaches Roger Telemachus and Yashin Ebrahim will return to their posts as coach of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial side and the KZN Cricket Academy respectively.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Roger and Yashin for so willingly stepping into the role of caretaker coach of the Sunfoil Dolphins, as well as Rivash Gobind for taking care of the Provincial Team for the last 6 weeks of the season,” says De Wet. “They all performed their duties admirably and we are grateful to them for the enthusiastic way they approached the challenge!”

“We extend a warm and hearty welcome to Grant, even though he has a relationship with the Dolphins that goes back a few years already,” adds KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union President, Fa-eez Jaffar. “Grant brings something special with him in that he has a proven track record of working with youngsters and taking them to the next level and hopefully his experience and expertise aids in the Dolphins winning some silverware in the near future.”

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PARNELL DELAYS TITANS TITLE BID

Wayne Parnell followed up his 12 wickets in the previous game with another five on the opening day of the Sunfoil Series clash between the Cape Cobras and The Unlimited Titans in Paarl on Thursday.

The Proteas’ left-arm quick bagged 5/62 as the log-leaders were shot out for just 168 at Boland Park.

Parnell, whose 12/105 set up victory against the Sunfoil Dolphins last weekend, was again in lethal form as he easily ran through the batting of the visitors. He was then one of the unbeaten batsmen at the close, which the home side reached on 172/5, thanks mainly to captain Omphile Ramela’s 84 not out (145 balls, 16 fours).

That gave them a lead of eight and capped a good day overall. The Cape side had won the toss and chose to bowl first with Parnell dismissing Heino Kuhn for a six-ball duck in the second over – the competition top-scorer still left stranded on 999 runs this season.

Dane Paterson (3/36) also helped Parnell dismantle the Titans, who had captain Henry Davids to thank for even getting any sort of meaningful total after he made 74 (96 balls, 8 fours, 1 six).

Davids was the second last wicket to fall with his side rolled over in 43 overs.

The Cobras were in early trouble on 10/2 thanks to twin Ethy Mbhalati (2/43) strikes, but recovered thanks to a 95-run fifth wicket stand between Ramela and Cebo Tshiki (47), the latter playing in just his second franchise game.

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DOLPHINS SEEK TO DERAIL LIONS

Interim Sunfoil Dolphins coach Roger Telemachus has set his sights on an upset against the bizhub Highveld Lions when the two sides come together in their Sunfoil Series contest in Pietermaritzburg starting on Friday.

The coastal side ran the top-of-the-table Unlimited Titans close last week when they fell 18 runs shy of victory in their drawn affair in Durban.

This time around they will be hoping to go all the way and beat the Lions, who themselves are still licking their wounds following a disappointing defeat to the VKB Knights in the previous round.

“Unfortunately we couldn’t quite go all the way on Sunday, but that’s cricket sometimes,” Telemachus, one of two co-coaches of the Dolphins alongside Yashin Ebrahim, said, “our batters are coming to the party and the bowlers are sticking to their plans, hopefully that can continue for the next three games!”

The hosts are presently fourth on the table, but a win, coupled with a few other results going their way, would push them right into the title mix.

“This weekend we have another tough game, in different conditions up in Maritzburg, but we have our plans and hopefully things can go well for us,” Telemachus added.

Opposite number coach Geoffrey Toyana saw the defending champions lose ground in their title bid last week when they were crushed by the VKB Knights.

“It was quite disappointing, we didn’t play well at all and we don’t have any excuses for it,” he said. “We’ve chatted about it and will be looking to move on in Pietermaritzburg.”

And Toyana is now wary of the dangerous Dolphins, adding: “There’s still three teams in it and maybe even four if you consider we are playing the Dolphins. They’re playing some really good cricket, so we’ll have to be wary of them as well.

“It’s a key stage of the season now and every result is important. I’m confident we will bounce back.”

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DOLPHINS WIN CONVINCINGLY IN EAST LONDON

Andile Phehlukwayo ended with career-best figures as the Sunfoil Dolphins completed a comfortable innings and 54-run victory over the Warriors early on day four of their Sunfoil Series clash in East London on Sunday.

The young all-rounder claimed 4/39, beating his previous first-class best of 3/69, to ensure the hosts were bowled out for just 187 in their follow-on innings.

Jerry Nqolo top-scored for the Warriors with 64 (144 balls, 9 fours), before he was eventually the second last man to fall when he was cleaned up by the spin of Keshav Maharaj (2/49).

Craig Alexander (1/47) accounted for Ayabulela Gqamane (8), while Phehlukwayo dismissed Thandolwethu Mnyaka (16).

Only 21 overs were bowled on the final morning, with the Warriors adding exactly 50 to their overnight score.

Despite not being amongst the wickets on the last day, Daryn Dupavillon ended with 2/32 in the second innings and was named man-of-the-match for his overall analysis of 7/81.

The result handed the Warriors a fifth defeat in six games this season and left them firmly rooted to the foot of the table, while the Dolphins stayed fourth, but now within seven points of the third-placed VKB Knights.

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BIRCH INSPIRES WARRIORS ATTACH

Andrew Birch recorded career-best figures as the Warriors cruised to a nine-wicket bonus-point win over the Sunfoil Dolphins in their Momentum One-Day Cup match at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in Durban on Wednesday.
Paceman Birch ended with the superb figures of 10-5-15-4, while Ayabulela Gqamane nabbed 3/18 as the hosts were bundled out for just 110 off 28.3 overs. The visitors then reached 111 for one off 23.5 overs with Colin Ackermann striking his first half-century of the season to end unbeaten on 59 off 83 balls (8 fours, 1 six).
The win saw the Warriors move to second on the log, on 23 points, and all but secured the Eastern Cape franchise a playoff place, while the Dolphins slipped to their sixth loss of the season to remain rooted to the bottom of the table.
The Warriors play the Cape Cobras in their final round-robin match in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, are the only team that are completely out of the running for a playoff place and their final score against the Warriors was their lowest total in the competition’s history, eclipsing their previous lowest total of 137 for nine, off 45 overs, against the Eagles in the 2008/09 season.
The Durban side had won the toss and elected to bat but crumbled to 65-9 after 21 overs in the face of an inspired new-ball spell from Birch, who bowled his 10 overs unchanged.
Only four Dolphins’ batsmen reached double figures while the innings was only given some late gloss by a 45-run 10th-wicket partnership between Keshav Maharaj (43*), his highest List A total, and Mthokozisi Shezi (10).
Ackermann and Jon-Jon Smuts then took the Warriors to the brink of victory with a 108-run opening stand. Smuts was the more aggressive of the pair as he scored 49 off 59 deliveries (7 fours, 1 six) before being dismissed by medium-pacer Andile Phehlukwayo.

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DOLPHINS BEAT RAIN AND THUMP KNIGHTS

Khaya Zondo took three wickets to go with his half-century as the Sunfoil Dolphins kept alive their hopes of reaching the Momentum One-Day Cup play-offs alive with a 46-run win on the Duckworth-Lewis method over the VKB Knights in Kimberley on Wednesday.

After winning the toss and batting first at the Diamond Oval, the visitors amassed 290 for eight wickets.

Zondo struck 52 from 78 balls, Vaughn van Jaarsveld made 50 off 50 and Cody Chetty top-scored on his return to the team with 69 off 87 deliveries. There were several other cameos from the Dolphins team, including a three-ball 13 from Keshav Maharaj, who clubbed two sixes in his six-minute stay in the middle.

Shadley van Schalkwyk was the pick of the bowlers with three for 52. Only 1.3 overs of the response were then possible when heavy rain stuck, forcing over two hours to be lost.

When the players return, the target was revised to 158 in 20 overs, but the switch to Twenty20 mode failed to ignite the hosts as they slipped to 111 all out in 18.3 overs.

They lost a wicket first ball and never recovered with Zondo returning the immaculate figures of three for 12 in 2.3 overs. Calvin Savage claimed three for 16 in his three impressive overs, while Maharaj picked up two for 19.

Van Schalkwyk top-scored with 34 off 20 balls for the Knights, whose chance of making the play-offs are all but over. They have eight points with three games to go, while the bonus-point triumph for the Dolphins lifted them to fourth.

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KNIGHTS, DOLPHINS FIGHT FOR PLAY-OFFS SPOT

The VKB Knights and Sunfoil Dolphins square off in a Momentum One-Day Cup clash at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley on Tuesday knowing it is now or never if they want to cling on to hopes of reaching the play-offs.

The two sides are bottom of the table with the hosts (eight points) a point behind the visitors (nine), who in turn trail The Unlimited Titans in fourth by four points.

With the winner likely to retain some outside hope of staying alive, the loser will see their hopes all but ended, although the mathematics do state otherwise. “I always have hope,” maintained Knights coach Allan Donald. “We’re sort of in a dark place right now, but we know where we stand. “It’s going to be tough, but we just have to concentrate on every single game now.”

The Knights, who have just two wins from six games this season, were beaten by 55-runs in their last outing against the Titans on Friday night.

Reeza Hendricks is back from South Africa ‘A’ duty to bolster their batting. He is set to take the place of Diego Rosier, while Dillon du Preez could return from injury for Corne Dry.

The Dolphins too have had a torrid time so far in the competition. Thumped by the Cape Cobras on Friday, they will be without Imran Tahir and David Miller for the trip to the northern Cape. But Khaya Zondo and Andile Phehlukwayo are back to bolster them. “We’re all scrapping at the bottom there,” Donald added. “They’re a dangerous side and we all know that teams in that position can find a free spirit to play with.

“So both sides will be looking for that extra edge and we can’t take them for granted.”

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2015/16 SUNFOIL SIZZLER

 

Hardus Viljoen of the bizhub Highveld Lions has bagged the Sunfoil Series Sizzler award for the first five rounds of the Sunfoil Series which currently sees The Unlimited Titans, the VKB Knights and the bizhub Highveld Lions locked in a three-way battle for four-day cricket supremacy. The Lions are the current title holders.

The Sunfoil Sizzler award is worth R15 000.

Viljoen, who made his debut for the Castle Lager Proteas in the third Sunfoil Test match against the England touring team at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium, has had a phenomenal Sunfoil Series campaign taking 30 wickets in 4 matches. This included back-to-back 10-wicket hauls in successive matches against the Sunfoil Dolphins and the Warriors.

Other players who came strongly into contention for the award were his bizhub Highveld Lions team mate, Dwaine Pretorius, Werner Coetsee of the VKB Knights, Keshav Maharaj of the Sunfoil Dolphins and Tabraiz Shamsi of The Unlimited Titans.

“Congratulations to Hardus on his Sunfoil Sizzler award,” commented Cricket South Africa (CSA) General Manager: Cricket, Corrie van Zyl. “His performance in taking back-to-back 10-wickets hauls is special and earned him a fully deserved call-up to the Proteas.

“The results over the past six weeks have also shown that our domestic game is healthy, particularly if you look at the way players have taken the step up to international cricket when the opportunity has arisen. Stephen Cook’s century on debut for the Proteas underlines this point.”

The South African Cricketers’ Association Most Valuable Player index (SACA MVP) is used as the measuring tool in determining the Sunfoil Sizzler of the Month.

The SACA MVP is calculated using an internationally recognised formula which takes into account every discipline in the game of cricket.  Batting, bowling, fielding, captaining and winning are all factored in within the context of each individual match. Individual player performances in pressure situations, for example, carry more weight; thus players who deliver when their team needs them most, earn more points.

The SACA MVP latest ranking standings are updated weekly on the SACA website (www.saca.org.za), and may be viewed ‘per competition’ or by having a look at the ‘overall’ standings.

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TITANS PULL OFF LATE WIN OVER DOLPHINS

Heino Kuhn’s attacking half-century proved key for The Unlimited Titans as they stayed top of the Sunfoil Series table with a memorable four-wicket win over the Sunfoil Dolphins deep on the final day at Sahara Park Willowmoore on Sunday.

The opener, who made 129 in the first innings, plundered 62 in 57 deliveries as the hosts chased down a tough 173 victory target in a little over a session to claim the win. Qaasim Adams also played a vital role with his 38 anchoring the majority of the chase, which came in 33.5 overs.

The visitors will regret not taking up more time with the bat in their innings. They relied heavily on a century from Imraan Khan (107) – his 18th first-class ton – to get them to 255 after starting out the last day on 65 for one.

Khan shared in important stands of 91 with Vaughn van Jaarsveld (47) for the second wicket and 74 with Sibonelo Makhanya (30) for the sixth wicket to get them there. Ethy Mbhalati (3-42) and Tabraiz Shamsi (3-38) were the pick of the bowlers.

The Durban side then failed to keep their Pretoria rivals in check as they scored at 5.17 to the over to reach their target with 3.1 overs remaining.

The Titans picked up 19.28 points for the win, compared to the 6.14 for the Dolphins.

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TITANS STRIKE LATE TO JOLT DOLPHINS

Late wickets by the Unlimited Titans fast bowlers helped restrict the Sunfoil Dolphins to 357 all out on the opening day of their Sunfoil Series clash at Sahara Park Willowmoore on Thursday.

Ethy Mbhalati and Marchant de Lange shared seven wickets for the hosts, but half-centuries by Imraan Khan, Khaya Zondo and Daryn Smit ensured the visitors held the slight advantage in Benoni.

Wicketkeeper Smit top-scored with a fluent 85 from 111 deliveries, while opener Khan anchored a solid start with 83.

Zondo, meanwhile, made 65 before he was out on the stroke of tea. But the Dolphins may rue the fact that they lost their last six wickets for less than 100. They had progressed nicely through to 244 for four during the afternoon, but the Titans’ opening bowlers struck some telling blows.

Mbhalati, the pick of the bowlers with four for 48, accounted for Khan, Vaughn van Jaarsveld (30), Sibonelo Makhanya (one) and Craig Alexander (two).

De Lange took three for 79 – his wickets being captain Divan van Wyk (nought), David Miller (26), both bowled, and Keshav Maharaj (13).

The Titans, who won the toss and chose to bowl, faced two overs in their reply to reach stumps on two without loss.

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MOSEHLE BLASTS TITANS TO RAM SLAM VICTORY

 Mangaliso Mosehle played his finest innings to date in one of the biggest matches of his career to help The Unlimited Titans lift the RAM SLAM T20 trophy in front of a full house home crowd at SuperSport Park. 

 

After the Sunfoil Dolphins had posted what looked to be a challenging 159 for five, Mosehle walked in at No. 3 and smashed seven sixes to score 87 from 39 balls. Although Mosehle and Henry Davids (35), with whom he put on 123 in 67 balls for the second wicket, fell to successive deliveries from Kyle Abbott, by that stage the game was won. With just 12 runs needed from 33 balls, Farhaan Behardien and Albie Morkel merely needed to keep their heads, which they did to record a seven-wicket win with 19 balls to spare. 

 

It was the first time since the 2011/12 season that the Titans had won the domestic Twenty20 competition, and it gave Rob Walter his third trophy since taking over as coach of the franchise at the start of the 2013/14 season. Given their dominance in the league phase, when they won eight games on the trot and finished 13 points clear at the top of the table, nobody could claim they were not deserved winners. One of the keys to their success has been the number of bases that they cover, and that was the case once again.

 

Albie Morkel was able to call on no fewer than eight bowling options, all of whom did a job as the Dolphins were strangled in the middle period of their innings. With runs hard to come by, Morne van Wyk (29), Jonathan Vandiar (26) and Kevin Pietersen all holed out as they tried to get the scoreboard going. A late blast from Dwayne Bravo and David Miller gave the visitors something to bowl at as they took 65 off the last six overs, with Bravo making 53 from 30 balls and Miller scoring 33. But that proved inadequate once Mosehle got going. While he has a List A century to his name as well as an unbeaten 93 in the shortest format, neither have come in such a pressure situation. As he went hard at the Dolphins, their bowlers had no answer, with Imran Tahir taking the worst punishment when Mosehle took 24 off his second over. That took the required rate below a run a ball, and the Titans eased home from there. Davids was named RAM Deliverer of the Day and Mosehle RAM Slammer of the day.

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DOLPHINS SET THE STAGE FOR A THRILLING RAM SLAM FINAL

TheCape Cobras contrived to blow the advantage given to them by Richard Levi’s superb innings, as the Sunfoil Dolphins clung on for a thrilling five-run victory at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead that put them into the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge Final. Andile Phehlukwayo was once again the bowling hero at the death for the Dolphins, being given the 18th and 20th overs to take 2/7 and also build the pressure that led to the run out of Justin Ontong.

With Levi blitzing 85 from just 43 balls, the Cobras went into the last five overs of their chase needing just a run a ball with seven wickets in hand to win the play-off.

Although Levi had departed by that stage, with plenty of batting to come the Cobras looked certain victors, but they went on to lose five wickets for the addition of just 19 runs to grab defeat from the jaws of victory. The Dolphins will now travel to SuperSport Park to take on The Unlimited Titans in Saturday’s final, with their belief undoubtedly buoyed. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, they saw Cameron Delport put up his first significant score of the campaign as he scored 55 from 37 balls in an opening partnership with Morne van Wyk (57) that was worth 99.

That set the tone, and allowed David Miller and Kevin Pietersen to do what they do best once the openers had departed. The pair hit two sixes apiece, with Pietersen making 27 from 10 balls and Miller finishing unbeaten on 33 from 24 balls, as the Dolphins posted 178 for three. No team has scored more than 179 in the competition this season, and so it was clear that the Cobras faced a stiff challenge, particularly with a lack of firepower in their middle-order. Levi produced the big innings when they needed it most, bludgeoning seven sixes in a brutal innings that saw him reach 50 in just 20 deliveries.

The Cobras romped to 77 without loss in the power play, with Wayne Parnell (27) playing the supporting role, and, even after Levi misjudged the length and pace of a Delport delivery to depart in the 14th over, the game should have been in the bag. Yet the Cobras hit just two boundaries from that point on – both of them by Lesiba Ngoepe (32) – and the pressure built up progressively as a result.

It was then that Phehlukwayo became the hero for the Dolphins – and not for the first time in this season’s competition either – bowling two of the last three overs, during which he conceded just seven runs off the bat and claimed two wickets, while Justin Ontong was also run out in his final over. The all-rounder is still four months shy of his 20th birthday on March 3 next year, but will now have the opportunity to showcase his growing skills and impressive nerve in South Africa’s most high-profile domestic game on Saturday.

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WARRIORS CLICK INTO A HIGHER GEAR

 

After notching up the first of the three victories that they need to challenge for the RAM SLAM T20 qualifier spots, Colin Ingram admits that the thrill of the Warriors’ task is proving beneficial as they prepare to take on the VKB Knights at the Mangaung Oval in their next assignment.

The Warriors kept the race for the tournament’s play-off game wide open by seeing off the Cape Cobras on Wednesday night, leaving four teams in the running for the qualifier.

While the Cobras are still in pole position with 20 points, the fact that they face the third-placed Sunfoil Dolphins in their remaining fixture means that one of the play-off places is likely to be there for the taking if the Warriors or the Lions can win their final two games.

Ingram says that the intense pressure on the Warriors, who have travelled to Bloemfontein with an unchanged squad, is kicking them into a higher gear.

“You’d obviously prefer to be right up there and not have to play with this pressure, but if you look at the positives, every game is almost a final for us,” he said.

“In that way we can really leave it all out there, and maybe for a bunch of young guys who are quite ambitious, it can be exciting.”

Ingram was pleased with the way that the Warriors “won all the big moments” against the Cobras, recovering from the loss of three early wickets to post an above-average total, and then holding their nerve with the ball and in the field when it mattered.

A similar performance will be required against the Knights, who have bounced back from losing their opening six games in the competition to win their last two games convincingly.

“We’re feeling a lot better after getting some results that suggested how we’ve been playing,” said captain, Werner Coetsee. “We hadn’t played bad cricket before that; we just hadn’t been able to cross the line.

“We’d like to build on that and keep on improving, because there’s still a long season left for us. We want to make sure we take something out of this campaign.”

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BOOSTS FOR COBRAS AS LEVI MAKES A COMES BACK

Richard Levi has provided a welcome boost to the Cape Cobras ahead of their crucial encounter with the Sunfoil Dolphins at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead after he was given the all-clear by a neurologist.

Levi suffered a mild concussion after taking a blow to the temple while fielding last weekend, but recovered swiftly and showed no ill effects during a 40-minute session of throwdowns at PPC Newlands on Wednesday.

As such he has been passed fit to play in Friday’s televised affair – a major fillip for the Cobras as they look to bounce back from a disappointing loss to the Warriors on Wednesday.

Despite that result, the Cobras remain second on the table and can seal a home play-off by beating the Dolphins, who currently trail them by two points.

Having shot out of the blocks early in the tournament, winning their first four games in the competition, the Dolphins have subsequently hit a wall and find themselves crawling towards the finishing line.

Despite that, they could still earn a home play-off should they beat the Cobras and have other results go their way.

“It has been difficult,” admitted coach, Lance Klusener. “I think we’ve been pretty hard on ourselves and taken some of the losses a bit personally.

“But we’re still in a position to qualify and the nice thing is that qualification is still in our own hands. We’re upbeat about that, but we’re not shying away from the fact that we need to lift our game.”

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PRETORIUS STRIKES IN LIONS VICTORY

Dwaine Pretorius struck four crucial blows to give the bizhub Highveld Lions the sweet taste of revenge as they beat the Sunfoil Dolphins in a RAM SLAM T20 nail-biter at Bidvest Wanderers on Sunday.

Pretorius’ 4 for 22 gave him a personal best in the format, but most importantly included the wickets of David Miller, Dwayne Bravo and Ryan McLaren as the Lions clung on to win by six runs.

The victory was all the more satisfying for the fact that the Lions had lost to the Dolphins by one run in the second round of the competition – a defeat that clearly set the young side back as they went on to lose their next two games.

This victory moved them up to fourth on the table with 12 points from six games, and gave them fresh hope of catching the top three – they are now four points behind the third-placed Cobras, who the Lions will host at the same venue in a week’s time.

By contrast the Dolphins have now failed to win in four games, and although they remain in second place, they lead the Cobras by just two points, having played a game more.

While Pretorius’ bowling swung the game in the second innings, Alviro Petersen’s unbeaten 60 from 41 balls kept the Lions in the game during the first innings as they posted 145 for six.

With Devon Conway (28) the only other real contributor, the hosts were unable to form any meaningful partnerships, as much because of their mistakes as the Dolphins’ good bowling – both Conway and Andre Malan were guilty of pulling long-hops straight to fielders.

With Morne van Wyk (20) and Vaughn van Jaarsveld putting on 45 for the first wicket while the ball was still hard, and Van Jaarsveld going on to score 42 from 28 balls, the Lions’ total looked short.

Aaron Phangiso pegged the Dolphins back by dismissing Van Jaarsveld and Khaya Zondo, but David Miller got himself in and put the visitors on track when he took 17 off an Eddie Leie over.

However, Hardus Viljoen pulled things back for the Lions with a quiet over that saw him finish with figures of 1 for 15 from four overs, and in the next over Pretorius cleaned up both Miller and Bravo to leave 23 runs required from the final two overs.

McLaren’s two fours off Lonwabo Tsotsobe in the penultimate over left 13 required off the last, which was whittled down to seven off the last two balls before Pretorius bowled McLaren to seal the game – much to the delight of the home side.

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COBRAS SPINNING RESOURCES PUT TO THE TEST

The Cape Cobras head into their crucial RAM SLAM T20 clash with The Unlimited Titans at PPC Newlands on Friday without their best two spinners after George Linde joined Robin Peterson on the injured list.

Linde fractured a finger on his bowling hand during the five-wicket win over the Dolphins on Sunday, and so the Cobras have called on Siya Simetu for their two upcoming games this weekend.

The Simetu was a regular fixture in the Cape Cobras side during the 2013/14 RAM SLAM, but did not feature at all last season and will need to adapt to the pace of the competition quickly.

The defending champions currently sit third with 12 points from five games, and will need to rein in the Titans after their bonus-point victory over the Dolphins on Wednesday put them top of the table with 21 points.

“This is a key game – we need to take some points off the Titans now that they’re top of the log. We need to make sure that we’re ticking,” said Cobras coach, Paul Adams.

“We haven’t had the perfect game yet, and that’s what the players are striving for. We keep presenting that in front of them and hopefully it comes as we get close to the end of the league phase.”

A big part of the Unlimited Titans’ success during their winning streak, which stretched to five games on Wednesday, has been their ability to think on their feet.

“We’ve played on some funny wickets so far – some turners and some up-and-down wickets – so we’ve had to adapt our bowling plans on the field and I think that’s one thing we’ve done well so far,” reflected Titans captain, Albie Morkel. “We’ve assessed the situations quite nicely.”

Lungi Ngidi missed Wednesday’s game because he was writing exams, but has joined the Titans squad for the game against the Cobras.

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DOLPHINS AND WARRIORS SEEK VICTORY TONIGHT

Sunfoil Dolphins coach, Lance Klusener, has called on his players to show greater commitment to their franchise and themselves as they look to arrest a two-game losing run in the RAM SLAM T20 when they visit the Warriors at Buffalo Park on Friday night.

Klusener was visibly angry after Wednesday’s game, which saw the Dolphins restrict the Titans to 136 for nine, only to be bowled out for a record low score of 70 and gift the Titans a bonus-point win.

With such a tight turnaround in between the games there has been little time to make major changes – and the Dolphins have travelled with the same squad – but Klusener feels that a mental shift is desperately required.

“It’s about letting the Dolphins down, and we need to apologise to our fans for that performance,” he reflected.

“I don’t think it’s a skill thing – it’s a mindset or a commitment thing. It’s about wanting to be your best which I sometimes have to question.”

While the Dolphins sit second on the table and still look good for a place in the play-offs as long as they can overcome their patch of poor form, the Warriors go into a string of three home games knowing that positive performances are non-negotiable.

With just two wins from the first half of the competition, home games against the Dolphins, the Titans and the Cobras represent an opportunity to move up the table, but support from their batsmen lower down the order will be necessary to do so.

The Warriors have been hugely reliant on Colin Ackermann and Colin Ingram thus far, with the pair notching up 379 runs while the rest of the squad have managed just 245.

Nevertheless, Ingram is not overly concerned.

“I think we expect the top four to take care of most of the overs,” he said. “That’s where you want your big scores to come from, and then for the guys coming in after that to chip in and really maximise their strike rate.

“We’ve been fortunate that the top order has done some good work through the season and long may it continue. These next three home games are massively important for us. They’ll give us either an easier run-in or a really tough one.”

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MORRIS SENDS DOLPHINS PLUMMETING TO DEFEAT

Chris Morris  consigned the Sunfoil Dolphins to their lowest ever Twenty20 total as The Unlimited Titans shot to the top of the RAM SLAM T20 table with a comprehensive victory at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead.

 

The Titans looked to have fallen short of a good total when they were limited to 136 for nine on a slow Durban wicket, but Morris returned figures of 4 for 9 in three overs as the Dolphins were rolled for 70 to give the visitors a bonus point.

 

While the droughts around the country have led to drier pitches that have aided spin in the competition, that trend changed on Wednesday as the pacemen found a surface to their liking.

 

The short ball claimed a handful of victims on either side, while the yorker also proved a deadly weapon.

 

With most batsmen failing to deal with the change, Quinton de Kock’s 38 at the top of the Titans order made all the difference in the end, even with Ryan McLaren using the conditions wisely to bounce out Albie Morkel and york David Wiese and finish with figures of 3 for 28.

 

Six of the Titans top seven reached double figures without going any further, a statistic that appeared glum at the innings break but then looked like a luxury at the end of the game.

 

The Dolphins batting line-up had been powerful in the first half of the competition but there was a suspicion it was being held together by Kevin Pietersen, and so it proved in the first game after the Englishman’s departure.

 

David Miller (12) and Dwayne Bravo (27) were the only players to reach double figures, as Morris claimed two wickets up front and two later on.

 

With Morkel (2 for 14 in four overs) and Junior Dala (2 for 13 in 2.4 overs) also chipping in – the former using the short ball to good effect and the latter bowling fuller – the Dolphins were bowled out in just 15.4 overs, finishing short of their previous lowest total, which was the 82 they made against the Knights at the same venue last season.

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TITANS FACE TESTING WEEK IN BATTLE AT THE TOP

With four straight wins under their belt The Unlimited Titans may be the form team in the RAM SLAM T20, but they know that they face their toughest challenges in the competition this week, starting with Wednesday’s visit to the Sunfoil Dolphins. Losing to the Dolphins in their opening game, the Titans have gone on an impressive winning streak to sit level with their opponent at the top of the standings.

But this week sees them visit the Dolphins and then travel to Cape Town to take on the third-placed Cape Cobras on Friday, making it a crucial few days in the race for top spot and an automatic place in the final.

The Titans have retained the same squad that conquered the Warriors over the weekend, with coach, Rob Walter, enjoying the depth that he has found in his ranks.

“We’ve changed our team pretty much every game for varying reasons – from family loss to injury to game plans – so what’s nice is that the guys who have come in and got an opportunity to play have stood up and done something for us,” said Walter.

“So we’re happy with everyone’s form, and we want to be able to field a team that is specific to our opposition or the conditions, and know that whoever we bring in is in form and is ready to play. We obviously have good momentum, but I see Wednesday and Friday as being our biggest challenges.”

After winning their first four games, the Dolphins were finally felled on Sunday when Wayne Parnell engineered a five-wicket win for the Cobras.

“It’s just the nature of the game,” reflected Morne van Wyk. “It’s such a short format that you have to be on the ball all of the time, and it’s hard to claw yourself back if you aren’t.”

The Dolphins do, however, need to figure out their best combinations now that Kevin Pietersen has departed, Prenelan Subrayen has been banned from bowling and Kyle Abbott has flown to India to play for the Proteas.

After scoring 77 off just 46 balls for KZN Inland in the CSA Provincial T20 Challenge this weekend, Vaughn van Jaarsveld has returned to the Dolphins squad along with Sibonelo Makhanya.

While SuperSport Park’s quicker surface did not require a spinning ally for Keshav Maharaj on Sunday, replacing Subrayen, who took 4 for 22 the last time these teams met, may be a priority for Sahara Stadium Kingsmead’s conditions on Wednesday.

“It will be tough to replace him because he’s a star performer who’s done really well for us, but you need your squad to perform in a competition and it’s an opportunity for someone else to contribute and showcase their skills,” said Van Wyk.

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Excitement for the start of the 2015 / 2016 season of the MODC

The 2015 / 2016 Momentum One-Day Cup season kicks off on Friday 09 October at SuperSport Park in Centurion. An unseasonably early NZ tour meant that fans had an early taster this year, but now with the start of the season imminent, all eyes are looking to the franchise teams to provide the action and excitement.
The opening weekend starts with two day/night matches on Friday 09 October 2015 at SuperSport Park in Centurion (The Unlimited Titans v. Warriors) and on Saturday 10 October 2015 at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg (bizhub Highveld Lions v. Cape Cobras).
The opening weekend will be completed by a day match between the Sunfoil Dolphins and the VKB Knights at the Pietermaritzburg Oval on Sunday 11 October 2015.
The Titans are the defending champions, having beaten the Cobras by five wickets in last season’s final at Newlands. It was one of the best limited overs finals at franchise level, producing nearly 600 runs, including outstanding centuries by three Proteas, Richard Levi for the Cobras, and Dean Elgar and Albie Morkel for the Titans. Elgar had previously also scored a century against the Dolphins in the qualifier to book the Titans spot with the table-topping Cobras in the Final.
Now in its fourth season as the official sponsor of all one-day events, Momentum along with CSA is re-focusing their attention on improving match attendance by coming up with innovative ways to add value and enhance fan engagement.
Research has been undertaken to find out what keeps fans away and more importantly what would entice fans and entire families to come and enjoy domestic matches.
Momentum facilitated 24000 tickets last season and this year Momentum and CSA are hoping to at least double those figures and boost attendance at matches. Previous innovations include the Momentum Family Area which has been popular because of the chilled, child-friendly environment with extra activities laid on for families, and free or discounted tickets for Multiply (Momentum’s wellness and rewards programme) members.

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