A scintillating half-century by debutant Jean du Plessis was enough to carry the Dafabet Warriors to a six-wicket victory against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in their CSA T20 Challenge match at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Sunday.
Du Plessis equalled his career-best score when he hit an unbeaten 69 runs from 45 balls, including four fours and four sixes, as the Warriors reached their target of 163 with four balls to spare.
There was an early wobble for the home side in the opening game of their campaign as they lost both openers with just 21 runs on the board.
Jordan Hermann fell for 11, caught off the bowling of Okuhle Cele, before Andile Mokgakane was beaten between bat and pad to be removed by Eathan Bosch for seven runs.
JP King and Du Plessis added impetus to the Warriors’ chase, taking the side to 70/2 after 10 overs before recording a half-century partnership for the third wicket that included a four and four sixes.
Their partnership, which yielded 75 runs, ended when King fell to Romashan Pillay for a well-played 41 from 29 before Sinethemba Qeshile, who scored 14 from 11, fell to Dolphins skipper Prenelan Subrayen.
Du Plessis recorded his first half-century in Warriors colours, as he and Senuran Muthusamy (16 not out) took their side home.
Earlier, Bosch struck a superb 45 runs from 19 balls, including five sixes, which catapulted the KwaZulu-Natal side to 162 for nine after being asked to bat first.
Debutant King removed both openers when he dismissed Bryce Parsons (7) and Khaya Zondo (25) to reduce the visitors to 43/2 inside the first six overs.
Marques Ackerman and Slade van Staden then looked to kick on in the middle overs.
Right-arm quick Siya Plaatjie got his name in the wickets column by removing Van Staden (15) and then Ackerman for the same score in consecutive overs, with the Dolphins reaching 83/4 at the halfway mark.
Bosch and Tshepang Dithole took the Dolphins past 100 in the 15th over, but not before losing their fifth wicket when Jon-Jon Smuts (11) was caught by King on the boundary off Renaldo Meyer.
Dithole fell for a run a ball 11 as stand-in skipper Muthusamy grabbed his first wicket in Warriors colours while Meyer dismissed Subrayen for 10.
With five overs remaining, Bosch took the fight to the bowlers, striking 27 runs off five Beyers Swanepoel deliveries in the 19th over before the right arm quick got his revenge as the batter chipped the final ball straight to Meyer, with the Dolphins going into the final over on 156.
King took his third wicket removing Pillay for a single, the right-armer finishing with 3/18 from four overs.
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Du Plessis blitz helps Warriors to opening win
Sports reporter
Image: RICHARD HUGGARD/GALLO IMAGES
A scintillating half-century by debutant Jean du Plessis was enough to carry the Dafabet Warriors to a six-wicket victory against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in their CSA T20 Challenge match at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Sunday.
Du Plessis equalled his career-best score when he hit an unbeaten 69 runs from 45 balls, including four fours and four sixes, as the Warriors reached their target of 163 with four balls to spare.
There was an early wobble for the home side in the opening game of their campaign as they lost both openers with just 21 runs on the board.
Jordan Hermann fell for 11, caught off the bowling of Okuhle Cele, before Andile Mokgakane was beaten between bat and pad to be removed by Eathan Bosch for seven runs.
JP King and Du Plessis added impetus to the Warriors’ chase, taking the side to 70/2 after 10 overs before recording a half-century partnership for the third wicket that included a four and four sixes.
Their partnership, which yielded 75 runs, ended when King fell to Romashan Pillay for a well-played 41 from 29 before Sinethemba Qeshile, who scored 14 from 11, fell to Dolphins skipper Prenelan Subrayen.
Du Plessis recorded his first half-century in Warriors colours, as he and Senuran Muthusamy (16 not out) took their side home.
Earlier, Bosch struck a superb 45 runs from 19 balls, including five sixes, which catapulted the KwaZulu-Natal side to 162 for nine after being asked to bat first.
Debutant King removed both openers when he dismissed Bryce Parsons (7) and Khaya Zondo (25) to reduce the visitors to 43/2 inside the first six overs.
Marques Ackerman and Slade van Staden then looked to kick on in the middle overs.
Right-arm quick Siya Plaatjie got his name in the wickets column by removing Van Staden (15) and then Ackerman for the same score in consecutive overs, with the Dolphins reaching 83/4 at the halfway mark.
Bosch and Tshepang Dithole took the Dolphins past 100 in the 15th over, but not before losing their fifth wicket when Jon-Jon Smuts (11) was caught by King on the boundary off Renaldo Meyer.
Dithole fell for a run a ball 11 as stand-in skipper Muthusamy grabbed his first wicket in Warriors colours while Meyer dismissed Subrayen for 10.
With five overs remaining, Bosch took the fight to the bowlers, striking 27 runs off five Beyers Swanepoel deliveries in the 19th over before the right arm quick got his revenge as the batter chipped the final ball straight to Meyer, with the Dolphins going into the final over on 156.
King took his third wicket removing Pillay for a single, the right-armer finishing with 3/18 from four overs.
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