An unbeaten half-century from Ronan Herrmann inspired World Sports Betting (WSB) Eastern Storm to their first YesPlay Pro20 Super Eight victory, an eight-run DLS win over the Dolphins at WSB Willowmoore Park on November 6.

The bottom-of-the-table clash was brought to a premature end by lightning in the 17th over of the Dolphins’ innings, with the visitors on 118/5, below the DLS target of 126.

Although already out of semi-final contention, the victory effectively dealt the Dolphins’ qualification hopes a major blow. The Durban outfit still has a slim mathematical chance of progressing, but must win its final match with a bonus point and rely on favourable results elsewhere.

While both sides endured a difficult outing in the field with misfields and howlers, Herrmann was in a class of his own with the bat, smashing a career-best T20 score of 87 not out off 66 balls. His innings featured nine boundaries and two sixes as Eastern Storm posted 162/2.

Batting first, the hosts got off to a flying start through an 84-run opening partnership between Herrmann and Kabelo Sekhukhune (33 off 30). Poor Dolphins fielding helped their cause early on, with Herrmann dropped on four while attempting to clear the long-on boundary in the third over. The reprieve proved costly as Eastern Storm raced to 50 without loss in the powerplay.

The Dolphins eventually broke through in the 10th over when Sekhukhune, dropped twice on 25 and 31, was stumped by Hanu Viljoen after missing a delivery from Bryce Parsons while advancing down the pitch.

Herrmann brought up his half-century off 34 balls in the 12th over during a 50-run stand with Jurie Snyman (16). Snyman departed shortly afterwards, skying Jason Smith to Tristan Luus at long-on after striking the bowler for four to bring up the partnership milestone.

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Dewan Marais then joined Herrmann to guide the hosts to 162/2.

The Dolphins’ reply got off to a shaky start as they lost three wickets in the powerplay to reach 42/3 after six overs.

Parsons (15) was the first to go, gloving Tiaan Kuhn to Herrmann, before Amaan Khan removed the dangerous Smith, caught at mid-on. Kuhn then produced a superb yorker to uproot Sean Gilson’s middle stump, sending the batter back for a three-ball duck as the visitors slumped to 33/3.

Ntando Zuma (28) and Viljoen steadied the innings with a 41-run partnership, although some untidy Eastern Storm fielding offered the visitors further encouragement.

Viljoen was dropped on four before Zuma received a reprieve on 25 when a third-umpire review overturned a caught-and-bowled decision against Aryan Gopalan, ruling that Viljoen’s gloves were in front of the stumps before the batter made contact with the ball.

Zuma failed to make the most of the opportunity, pulling Thabiso Lekhoana to Marais at deep mid-wicket in the next over.

The fielding woes continued as Viljoen survived two more dropped chances, on 30 and 36, both off Lekhoana. After launching a six in the 13th over, Viljoen’s next delivery was sent towards long-on, but the ball slipped through the fielder’s legs for four.

Lekhoana endured further punishment in the 15th over when Viljoen skied a delivery towards Amaan Khan, who failed to get underneath it while running back. The batter capitalised with another six off the next ball, while Gomolemo Phiri (14 not out) added a six off the final delivery as the over cost 16 runs.

Viljoen eventually fell for a well-played 46 off 32 balls in the 16th over, caught at short fine leg off spinner Tumelane Simelane.

However, with the Dolphins on 118/5 and still short of the DLS target, lightning brought the contest to an end, handing Eastern Storm a much-needed first victory in the Super Eight.

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