Dolphins bow out of MODC
A batting display that was well below par by the Sunfoil Dolphins saw the Durban franchise suffer a nine wicket loss to the Warriors at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead on Wednesday that has ruled them out of Momentum One Day Cup play-off contention with one match still to play.
“There are a lot of things we need to get better at; we keep making a lot of
the same mistakes and having to have the same chats, which at this level you
shouldn’t be having to do,” said Sunfoil Dolphins captain Morné van Wyk.
The loss of three quick wickets at the top of the order and the subsequent
demise of Van Wyk (20) in the eighth over left the innings in tatters almost
before it had even begun.
The Warriors’ Andrew Birch continued to wreak havoc with the middle and lower
order as he bowled his way to figures of 4/15 in his ten over spell while
Ayabulela Gqamane claimed 3/18.
Some rearguard action from the ever-resilient Keshav Maharaj (40*) and
Mthokozisi Shezi delayed the inevitable temporarily as the pair put on 45 runs
for the tenth wicket.
The Warriors openers Colin Ackermann (59*) and Jon-Jon Smuts however took their
side to the brink of victory before the latter fell to Andile Phehlukwayo, one
short of a deserved half century, with just three runs needed.
“I do apologise to sponsors and fans alike, that was not the standard that we
would like to set,” said head coach Lance Klusener. “The Warriors had the
perfect game and it was just a disaster for us.”
“As horrendous as our performance was though, tonight’s performance probably
isn’t the reason why we’re out of the tournament.
“We had our opportunities earlier on in the competition when we needed people
to play a big innings, needed them to go through when they were in and for a
big performance from our senior players, and we didn’t get that.”
The Sunfoil Dolphins final match of the competition is against The Unlimited Titans at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead on Saturday, 13 February and fans can purchase their tickets for the clash fromwww.ticketpro.co.za or the stadium’s ticket office.
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