The Hollywoodbets Dolphins lost a nail-biting CSA One Day Cup clash to the Momentum Multiply Titans at SuperSport Park recently, despite some spirited batting from Brad Porteous and Jason Smith, and another irrepressible contribution in the field from Jon Jon Smuts.
Porteous came close to repeating his heroic century last week as the Dolphins recovered impressively to post the Titans a victory target of 262, but despite a four wicket haul up front from spinner Smuts, the Titans tailenders scrambled past that target in the penultimate over with two wickets in hand.
Having been asked to bat first the Dolphins found themselves under pressure at 38/5 in the twelfth over before Porteous and Smith turned the tables on the Titans with a belligerent 167 run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Porteous, fresh from his landmark maiden One Day Cup century at Newlands last weekend, weighed in with 94 off 100 deliveries, including thirteen boundaries.
When Porteous was run out in the 43rd over, the Dolphins were holding the reigns at 205/6, with a set Jason Smith in good form at the other end.
Eathan Bosch helped add another 25 runs for the seventh wicket before he was caught for a run-a-ball 17.
Jason Smith fell to Okhuhle Cele in the 48th over as the Dolphins continued to pile on the runs, ending on 89, and Prenelan Subrayen and Andile Simelane took the Durbanites to an imposing 261/8 at the end of their 50 overs, Subrayen adding a whirlwind 24 in just nine deliveries.
In their reply the Titans run chase was hampered by spinner Jon Jon Smuts, who accounted for Musawenkosi Twala, dangerman Dewald Brevis and Neil Brand inside the first twenty overs, leaving the hosts at 73/3.
Andile Phehlukwayo send Proteas ace Aiden Markram back to the change rooms, bowled for 31, and Smuts added a fourth wicket to his tally by claiming the scalp of Donavon Ferreira, leaving the match delicately poised with the Titans at 150/5 with 21 overs left in the match.
Playing against his former team mates Sibz Makhanya added a gutsy half century until he was caught at backward point by Smith off Phehlukwayo’s bowling to tilt the see-saw match back in favour of the Dolphins.
Makhanya had knuckled down with Corbin Bosch to add a half century partnership for the sixth wicket before Bosch was caught and bowled by his namesake Eathan Bosch, leaving the match poised at 201/6 and the hosts looking for 60 runs off the last twelve others.
Aya Gqamane took the fight back to the Dolphins with a robust seventh wicket stand with Junior Dala, ended when he was trapped in front by Phehlukwayo in the 47th over with the hosts ten runs shy of their victory target.
Dala held his nerve with Aaron Pangiso and got the home side over the line with ten balls to spare.
The Hollywoodbets Dolphins will be looking forward to their home CSA One Day Cup fixture against the Warriors on Friday.
SUMMARY OF SCORE:
Hollywoodbets Dolphins 261/8 (B Porteous 94, J Smith 89)
Momentum Multiply Titans 265/8 (S Makhanya 58, JJ Smuts 4/48, A Phehlukwayo 3/62)
Titans win by two wickets.
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