Van Schalkwyk five-fer sinks Dolphins
A career-best five-for from Shadley van Schalkwyk helped the VKB Knights reignite their Momentum One-Day Cup semi-final hopes with a handsome 58-run bonus-point win over the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in a weather-shortened game at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley on Sunday.
The right-arm seamer grabbed five for 25 as the hosts bundled out the visitors for 150 in 21.4 overs.
This after the Central Franchise had first amassed 208 for five in a match reduced to 25 overs per side after the entire morning was washed out on account of a wet outfield.
Patrick Kruger top scored with a pulsating 79 off 54 balls that included nine fours and three sixes - an effort that proved equally crucial for the home side, who are now up to fifth on 14 points and just four behind the Warriors in second.
The Dolphins won the toss at the start and opted to field first, but it was the locals that sparkled in front of their fans.
Man-of-the-match Kruger was key, especially after the loss of Andries Gous (1) in the second over. The right-hander shared in a 112-run second wicket partnership with Rudi Second (36) to get the innings going, and after the departure of both in quick succession, Ryan McLaren (38) and Grant Mokoena (27) shared in an unbroken 57-run sixth-wicket stand that helped set 209.
Senuran Muthusamy was the pick of the bowlers with two for 35.
The Dolphins chase was a stuttered one that never really got going.
After just 21 came from the first 5.3 overs, Vaughn van Jaarsveld (7) was bowled by Van Schalkwyk, before Dane Vilas followed to the same bowler for nine.
Top-scorer Sarel Erwee (38) and Khaya Zondo (33) doubled the score, but that was as good as it got for the KwaZulu-Natal franchise.
Wickets fell regularly from there as they were shot out by Van Schalkwyk's seam - a defeat that left them third on the table.
The latest Momentum One-Day Cup table:
P
W
L
Tied
NR
Bonus
Pts
Net RR
Multiply Titans
8
6
2
0
0
4
28
1,23
Warriors
8
4
3
0
1
0
18
-0,49
Hollywoodbets Dolphins
8
4
4
0
0
0
16
-0,27
WSB Cape Cobras
8
4
4
0
0
0
16
-0,61
VKB Knights
8
2
4
0
2
2
14
0,24
bizhub Highveld Lions
8
1
4
0
3
0
10
-0,01