A career-best five-for from Daryn Dupavillon helped the Hollywoodbets Dolphins secure a home semi-final as the Cricket South Africa (CSA) T20 Challenge regular season drew to a close on Sunday.
The fast bowler bagged an impressive 5/20 to help the KwaZulu-Natal side stun Dafabet Warriors with a 7-wicket win in Gqeberha – the hosts suffering their fourth straight loss in the process.
There was also a big win for Momentum Multiply Titans over World Sports Betting Western Province in a match that was essentially a quarter-final at World Sports Betting Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town, with the Centurion-based side winning by 6 wickets thanks mainly to Junior Dala (3/13) and Corbin Bosch (3/21).
Also on Sunday, the DP World Lions ensured they could not be stopped at the summit, securing first place with a 7-wicket triumph over AET Tuskers as Nqaba Peter (3/15) continued his incredible rise in 2024. The day’s final game was won by Auto Investments North West Dragons, who beat Gbets Rocks by 6 wickets in Paarl.
The star of the day was Dupavillon as he delivered a vintage performance to blow away the Warriors, who had won their first eight matches of the season before losing their way.
The paceman’s performance after his captain won the toss and bowled, helped the Dolphins restrict their hosts at Dafabet St George’s Park Cricket Stadium to 130/8, despite Jordan Hermann hitting 65 (53 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes)
Former Warriors captain Jon-Jon Smuts (43*) and Jason Smith (41*) then shared a 75-run unbroken fourth-wicket stand to take the Durban side to victory with 16 balls to spare.
Further along the coast in the Mother City, it was Dala and Bosch who were responsible for curbing the hosts and keep them down to a modest 113/9 after they won the toss and batted.
South Africa Under-19 batter Lhuan-dre Pretorius led the reply with 52 off 32 balls (3 fours, 4 sixes) ensuring the defending champions claimed the final qualifying spot with nearly seven overs to spare.
The Lions too were easy winners thanks to Nqaba’s three-for that kept the Tuskers down to 132/9 at DP World Wanderers Stadium.
This after the home side elected to bowl at the toss, with Zubayr Hamza (49) and Rassie van der Dussen (51* off 35 balls, 2 fours, 3 sixes) eating into most of the runs during the chase, the Johannesburg side winning with 15 balls to spare.
Finally at Boland Park, the local side batted first and managed 143/5. Clyde Fortuin (51 off 32 balls, 4 fours, 4 sixes) recorded a half century, while Caleb Seleka (2/21) was the pick of the bowlers.
Rubin Hermann (48) and Meeka-Eel Prince (37) set up the chase with a 67-run opening stand, before Wihan Lubbe (20) and Raynard van Tonder (34*) then completed the job with a ball to spare.
