The Dolphins and the Lions claim victories on Day 2, with Kagiso Rabada (3/23), Sisanda Magala (4/37), Pite van Biljon (72) and Rassie van der Dussen (64) starring on the day.
Warriors vs Lions
Following a clinical outing with the ball, the stacked and formidable Lions side aced a chase of 158 to secure their first win of the tournament.
Several of the Warriors batsmen had promising starts, but timely wickets and clever bowling from the Lions prevented the batsmen from capitalizing. Captain Sinethemba Qeshile top-scored with 33, but it was quite the struggle right from the get-go.
Proteas pace ace Kagiso Rabada took 3 wickets in an economical spell, and Sisanda Magala put on yet another death-bowling masterclass, claiming 4 wickets, 3 of which came towards the back end of the innings.
Coming to the Lions’ chase, it was a far from ideal start, when Ryan Rickelton got run out and Glenton Stuurman superbly castled Reeza Hendricks. It was the Proteas duo of Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen that steered the Lions away from trouble and added 64 runs in just over 8 overs.
Aya Gqamane, the Warriors pacer, briefly provided a scare for the Lions with a couple of quick wickets and later, the wicket of van der Dussen for 64. However, most of the damage had been done, and it was a rather calm finish, with 4 balls to spare.
The main takeaway from this game is – even though it happened in a losing situation – Magala has put his skills on full display and it’s important to take note, since the Proteas have recently struggled with their death bowling. In addition, the Lions have announced themselves as the potential juggernaut in this competition.
Dolphins vs Knights
A strong all-round show has earned the Dolphins their second win in as many games.
First things first, it was yet another game to remember for Keshav Maharaj. Patrick Kruger and Andries Gous, the two aggressors from the previous game, were both trapped LBW without scoring.
On top of that, Rob Frylinck’s miserly spell continued to pile on the pressure. The Knights were 69/5 after 14 overs, and they needed to step on the gas in order to reach a score to bowl at.
Skipper Pite van Biljon and the big-hitting Migael Pretorius did just that. After striking under 100 for much of his innings, van Biljon raced to 72 in the remaining 5 overs, and Pretorius was of very handy support, hitting a four and two sixes himself.
While they didn’t quite have a par score, the Knights ensured that the game would remain competitive.
The Knights roared back into contention when they took 3 wickets in 3 overs, putting the home team back under pressure at 50/3. However, the seasoned pair of David Miller and Khaya Zondo had other plans, with Miller’s cameo of 29 proving vital in boosting the run rate. Zondo would calmly bat through and another priceless cameo, this time from Frylinck, added the finishing touches.
Spin has continued to dominate, without a shadow of a doubt, even though the pacers were among the wickets for the Knights. Shaun von Berg took 1/19 in his 4 overs, and over to the Dolphins, Prenelan Subrayen did well to contain the Knights’ scoring rate, with 0/25 in his 4 overs.
The Dolphins are looking quite ominous after two games, and the Knights are badly in need of a change in fortunes soon. Stay tuned for more T20 action tomorrow!
Photo: Steve Haag/BackpagePix
