Hollywoodbets Dolphins consolidate their One Day Cup top spot
A resounding win in the CSA Women's One Day Cup on Saturday
saw the Hollywoodbets Dolphins Ladies extend their lead at the top of the
table, however they couldn't recreate that victory in the CSA Women's T20
Challenge on Sunday against the Fidelity Titans Ladies at Hollywoodbets
Kingsmead Stadium.
The Titans came to Durban as the closest rivals to the Dolphins on the 50 Over log and the homes side put in a clinical performance to show the rest of the teams in the competition that they are certainly title contenders.
Batting first in the 50 over match on Saturday, it was Nicole de Klerk who the Dolphins had to thank for their 216 all out. De Klerk, batting at three, blasted 90 off just 79 deliveries with ten fours and three sixes.
There were contributions down the order with Nobuhle Busane (21) and Zintle Mali (24) helped the Dolphins past 200.
Ayanda Hlubi made 17 off 14 balls at the end of the innings for the hosts as they were bowled out in the 44th over.
The display with the ball from the Dolphins was clinical despite the Titans getting off to a good start with the bat. Their openers Robyn Searle and Sune Luus put together 49 before Searle was bowled by Nonkululeko Mlaba for 23.
The off spin of Kiara Fisher then came to the fore as she bagged three of the next four wickets to fall and restricted the Titans to 60/4.
From 60/4 Fisher then added another three wickets to her tally as the Titans slumped further to 80/8.
Katherine Prior made 21 not out for the visitors but it was Mlaba who ended the chase when she bowled Josephine Maswangane to bag her third wicket and give the Dolphins a commanding 110 run win.
In Sunday's T20, the Dolphins chose to bowl first and the Titans ended on a competitive 133/6 from their 20 overs.
The wickets were shared amongst the bowlers with Ayanda Hlubi picking up 2/27 in her four overs.
In reply, the Dolphins couldn't build partnerships and they continued to lose wickets regularly throughout their innings which stifled any sort of momentum.
It was Hlubi, batting at number ten, who made the best contribution scoring 21 off 19 balls.
The Dolphins eventually finished on 118 for nine in their 20 overs which saw them end 15 runs short of the Titans target.
The Hollywoodbets Dolphins will take a break from their leagues and will resume their season on 18 February 2024 against the DP World Lions at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium.
