The Dolphins got back to their winning ways in the One-Day Cup competition as they got across the line comfortably against the Knights on a drizzly evening at Kingsmead.
After surrendering their unbeaten record to the Warriors midweek, the Dolphins held the Knights to 254-9 in their 50 overs and were comfortably inside their Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) targets when the second rain delay put an end to the contest after 27 overs of the Dolphins innings.
The win, by 22 runs on the DLS method, was the Dolphins’ fourth win in five outings, consolidates their second place on the log and moves them to within two points of the log-leading Warriors.
Having won the toss and inserting the visitors, Robbie Frylinck got the home side off to the best possible start, trapping Grant Mokoena in front for a duck in the first over, before a 68 run stand from Keegan Petersen and Andries Gous stabilised the Knights innings.
Spinners Keshav Maharaj and Senuren Muthusamy took two wickets in two overs to wrest back the match momentum before the experienced Rudi Second constructed solid partnerships with Patrick Kruger and Ryan MacLaren.
Second scored at a lively run-a-ball to eventually post 76 and help the visitors to a competitive total of 254-9 in their 50 overs.
Frylinck was the pick of the Dolphins bowlers, taking three for 42 in 10 overs, including the scalp of Second, while Muthusamy came away with a return of two for 35 in his allotted 10 overs.
Just 10 overs into the Dolphins innings, a light drizzle brought in by the strong south-westerly wind forced the players off for 15 minutes and caused a revised target of 248 for a Dolphins victory in 47 overs.
That was after Vaughan van Jaarsveld had departed for two after adjudged to have edged a Marchant de Lange deliver to Ryan McLaren at slip.
Veteran Morne van Wyk, returned to the Dolphins top order, put together a 98-run stand for the second wicket with Sarel Erwee.
With persistent drizzle forcing the DLS formula squarely into focus during the Dolphins innings, they managed to stay ahead of their required targets even after Erwee fell for a solid 59.
The players were forced off the field for a second time 27 overs into their innings, having amassed 139-3 with the insidious DLS at arms length.
Photo: Gallo Images
