Vaughn van Jaarsveld’s 108 off 77 balls and Andile Phehlukwayo’s 64 off 47, helped the Dolphins claim a 118-run win against the Lions in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.
The Lions, who sit second from bottom, needed a bonus-point win to help them stay in contention for a playoff spot, while a victory for the table-topping Dolphins would create some distance between them and the rest of the pack.
After losing the toss, the Dolphins got their innings off to a solid start, with Van Jaarsveld and Morne van Wyk’s opening partnership of 162 setting the tone for their side. Both openers managed fifties in their time together at the crease, as the Dolphins cruised to 162-0 in 24.5 overs.
Van Wyk was the first wicket to fall after reaching his 41st fifty, Dwaine Pretorius bowling the 37-year-old wicketkeeper on 54 off 83 deliveries. Van Jaarsvelt (108) continued to power forward as the Dolphins drew closer to 200, but the 32-year-old was caught lbw by Wiaan Mulder just three runs short.
Despite quick scalps by Mulder (2-52), Beuran Hendricks (1-66) and Reeza Hendricks (2-9) to pull their side back into the game at 288-6. Andile Phehlukwayo smashed 50 off 28 balls (four fours and two sixes) to post his maiden List A fifty, before losing his wicket to Pretorius (2-66) on the final ball of the innings. The Dolphins posting a total of 344-7, equalling the highest score (344-5) on the ground.
The highest chase at Senwes Park was 325-5 and the Lions would need something special to top that with a target of 345.
Despite a fantastic batting performance by their captain Dominic Hendricks (98), the Lions got off to a terrible start as the Dolphins bowling unit ripped through their top order.
Rabian Engelbrecht (2-39) started things off to dismiss Hendricks (12) followed by two wickets from Robbie Frylinck (2-22) who took out Rassie van der Dussen (13) and Mangaliso Mosehle (9). Phehlukwayo (1-33) also chipped in with the scalp of Nicky van den Bergh (9), as the Lions struggled to build momentum.
Next to go was Pretorius (4) who was run out by Kyle Nipper off the bowling of Phehlukwayo, and Imran Tahir claimed the sixth when he dismissed Mulder for a duck as the Lions crumbled to 76-6 (16.4).
Tahir continued to hunt the Lions batsmen, picking up a brace in the 25th over to dismiss both Nono Pongolo (20) and Bjorn Fortuin (0), ending on figures of 3-49.
Hendricks was helped by Aaron Phangiso (34 off 38) as the pair scored 85 to set the highest ninth-wicket partnership at the ground, but the partnership was ended by Senuran Muthusamy who dismissed Phangiso. Hendricks, after pushing his side past 200, was the last wicket to fall, as the hosts were bowled out for 226.
The Dolphins earned a bonus-point victory to solidify their place on the top of the One Day Cup standings with 24 points, going seven clear of the Warriors in second.
Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
