A sparkling 49 runs by Hollywoodbets Dolphins opener Khaya Zondo helped his team book their spot in the CSA T20 Challenge final in a five-wicket victory over the Dafabet Warriors in the semifinal in Durban on Thursday.
Zondo struck 49 runs from 23 balls including five fours and three sixes, coupled with 34 from Jon-Jon Smuts and an unbeaten 30 by Jason Smith which saw the home team reach their target of 162 with 12 balls to spare.
The win ensured the Dolphins have a chance to bring home some silverware when they clash with the DP World Lions in the final at the Wanderers on Sunday.
Khaya Zondo took the fight to the Warriors bowlers before he was run out on 49 by Beyers Swanepoel as the home side raced 67/1 after the first six.
Grant Roelofson [14] fell eight deliveries later, caught by skipper Matthew Breetzke off Patrick Kruger as the Dolphins slipped to 70/2 before Smuts and Marques Ackerman took the Durban side to 94/2 at the halfway stage.
As Smuts accelerated to 34 with 16 runs from Nealan van Heerden’s first over, Ackerman used up 10 balls for his seven runs before Siya Simetu struck twice in the 12th to remove both batters and move to the top of the wicket-takers list in this season.
Needing 24 from the last five overs, Jason Smith and Andile Phehlukwayo [13] shared a brisk 26 runs before the left-hander was removed by Swanepoel.
Smith finished the match off in style with two fours and a six to take his side to a comfortable victory.
Simetu returned figures of 2/38 from his four overs.
Earlier, a career-best 77 from 45 from Andile Mokgakane, which included four fours and four sixes, helped the Warriors to a competitive 161 for four.
After another early Jiveshan Pillay [3] dismissal by Eathan Bosch, the Dolphins bowlers made things tough for the Warriors batters who finished the power play on 27/1 with Breetzke and Mokgakane in the middle.
The pair steadied the ship, taking the score past 50 on the fourth ball of the eighth over, before bringing up their half-century partnership off 37 balls, two balls later.
The pair took their partnership to 78 before Breetzke fell for 38 from 35 balls to Smuts.
Mokgakane slapped Dolphins skipper Prenelan Subrayen for a six straight down the ground before he brought up a second half-century from 29 balls (four fours and two sixes).
As the Warriors went past 100, they continued to show intent as Mokgakane and Jordan Hermann took their stand to 53 off 31 balls.
Mokgakane perished trying to pull Dupavillon to the fence, but the ball went straight up off the edge and he was caught by Subrayen at mid-on to end the 17th over.
JP King [11] and Hermann [20] took the Warriors past 150 before the right-hander fell to Cele in the final over.
HeraldLIVE
Dolphins down Warriors to book spot in T20 final
Sports reporter
Image: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images
A sparkling 49 runs by Hollywoodbets Dolphins opener Khaya Zondo helped his team book their spot in the CSA T20 Challenge final in a five-wicket victory over the Dafabet Warriors in the semifinal in Durban on Thursday.
Zondo struck 49 runs from 23 balls including five fours and three sixes, coupled with 34 from Jon-Jon Smuts and an unbeaten 30 by Jason Smith which saw the home team reach their target of 162 with 12 balls to spare.
The win ensured the Dolphins have a chance to bring home some silverware when they clash with the DP World Lions in the final at the Wanderers on Sunday.
Khaya Zondo took the fight to the Warriors bowlers before he was run out on 49 by Beyers Swanepoel as the home side raced 67/1 after the first six.
Grant Roelofson [14] fell eight deliveries later, caught by skipper Matthew Breetzke off Patrick Kruger as the Dolphins slipped to 70/2 before Smuts and Marques Ackerman took the Durban side to 94/2 at the halfway stage.
As Smuts accelerated to 34 with 16 runs from Nealan van Heerden’s first over, Ackerman used up 10 balls for his seven runs before Siya Simetu struck twice in the 12th to remove both batters and move to the top of the wicket-takers list in this season.
Needing 24 from the last five overs, Jason Smith and Andile Phehlukwayo [13] shared a brisk 26 runs before the left-hander was removed by Swanepoel.
Smith finished the match off in style with two fours and a six to take his side to a comfortable victory.
Simetu returned figures of 2/38 from his four overs.
Earlier, a career-best 77 from 45 from Andile Mokgakane, which included four fours and four sixes, helped the Warriors to a competitive 161 for four.
After another early Jiveshan Pillay [3] dismissal by Eathan Bosch, the Dolphins bowlers made things tough for the Warriors batters who finished the power play on 27/1 with Breetzke and Mokgakane in the middle.
The pair steadied the ship, taking the score past 50 on the fourth ball of the eighth over, before bringing up their half-century partnership off 37 balls, two balls later.
The pair took their partnership to 78 before Breetzke fell for 38 from 35 balls to Smuts.
Mokgakane slapped Dolphins skipper Prenelan Subrayen for a six straight down the ground before he brought up a second half-century from 29 balls (four fours and two sixes).
As the Warriors went past 100, they continued to show intent as Mokgakane and Jordan Hermann took their stand to 53 off 31 balls.
Mokgakane perished trying to pull Dupavillon to the fence, but the ball went straight up off the edge and he was caught by Subrayen at mid-on to end the 17th over.
JP King [11] and Hermann [20] took the Warriors past 150 before the right-hander fell to Cele in the final over.
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