The high-flying Dolphins were brought down to earth in the Momentum One-Day Cup when they were beaten by seven wickets in just 27 overs by the Titans at Centurion on Wednesday.

Henry Davids, with his medium pacers, spearheaded the Titans bowling attack, smashing through the top order after Vaughn van Jaarsveld and Cameron Delport set off at pace, knocking off 32 runs in 22 balls. Albie Morkel broke that partnership, and Van Jaarsveld was never again able to find a partner who would stay with him. He put on 49 with Daryn Smit (14) and 46 with Tshepang Dithole (21), but just as they were getting momentum, the wickets fell. To be fair, they had to up the pace when a rain delay reduced the match to 37 overs a side.

Van Jaarsveld went on to 66 off 73 balls (9×4), but without support, the Dolphins were left high and dry on 171 in just 32.2 overs. Davids removed Dithole, caught and bowled, and three balls later trapped Ryan McLaren for one. The next over, he had Van Jaarsveld caught behind to end with 3-30 off seven overs and take the man of the match award. Marchant de Lange finished with 2-47 off 6.2 and Junior Dala 2-33 off seven.

The Dolphins may have held some hope of defending that total when they dismissed Mangaliso Mosehle (1) and Davids (8) with just 19 on the board. But Heino Kuhn, with an unbeaten 63 off 68 balls, and Graeme van Buuren, with a carefree 84 off 71 (8×4, 4×6) put a stop to the rot and destroyed the Dolphins attack, gaining a bonus point in the process.

The Titans, who had just four points from one win in three before this match, leapt into the lead, on net run-rate, at the top of the table on nine points, alongside the Dolphins, who are now 2-2 , and the Cobras (2-1).

Scoreboard