Kyle Nipper and Sibonelo Makhanya scored 57 off 27 balls, as the Dolphins grabbed a win against the Cobras on Wednesday.
The Dolphins, looking for their first win against the Cobras this season, needed a victory to overtake the Titans in first position, while their opponents looked to lift themselves from the bottom.
After the Cobras posted 271-7 in their 50 overs, the Dolphins completed the second-highest run chase at Boland Park to claim a four-wicket victory.
Vaughn van Jaarsveld and Sarel Erwee led their side’s chase with a second-wicket partnership of 107, after losing Morne van Wyk for a duck off the bowling of Dane Paterson.
The visitors looked in control at 110-1, until two quick wickets changed the momentum of the game. Dane Piedt made the breakthrough to trap Erwee (47 off 77) lbw on the last ball of the 25th over and then Keegan Petersen struck three balls later to remove Van Jaarsveld for a well-played 59 off 70 balls.
After Eddie Leie grabbed the wicket of Senuran Muthusamy (17), Khaya Zondo and Sibonelo Makhanya added 53 runs to take their side to 200, but the Dolphins captain was bowled by Lizaad Williams on 44. He struck again in his next over to dismiss the dangerous Robbie Frylinck on six.
With 55 needed off the last five overs, Kyle Nipper stepped up to the crease. He hit 32 runs off 18 balls (two fours and two sixes) as the pressure mounted on the Cobras. The 48th over saw 22 runs scored, as the Dolphins went from 34 needed off 18 balls, to 12 required off the last two overs. Their seventh-wicket partnership of 57 off 27 balls was vital to claiming the four-wicket win as the Dolphins posted 273-6.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Cobras’ innings was summed up by three half-centuries. Richard Levi (54 off 50), Petersen (57 off 66) and Dane Vilas (51 off 58) all batted well as the Cobras set a 272-run target.
The hosts’ innings was highlighted by the partnership between Petersen and Vilas, who put on 67 for the fifth wicket, which helped their side recover after the loss of Levi’s wicket. The Cobras were on 94-3 at this point, and the pair took their side to 164 before Petersen was foolishly stumped.
Vilas and Aviwe Mgijima (26 off 31) pushed the Cobras forward, but Mgijima lost his scalp with his side one run short of the 200-mark. Vilas lost his wicket shortly after reaching his fifty, and was followed by Rory Kleinveldt (8) to restrict the hosts at 233-7. Captain Piedt scored a cameo 39-ball 36 to push his side to 271.
Mthokozisi Shezi and Rabian Engelbrecht were the Dolphins’ best bowlers taking two wickets apiece, with Frylinck, Prenelan Subrayen and Makhanya chipping in with one scalp each.
The 21-year-old, Makhanya (55 off 38 balls), received the Man of the Match award for his match-winning knock, as the Dolphins claimed four points to climb to the summit of the One Day Cup standings.
Photo: Carl Fourie/Gallo Images
