Tabraiz Shamsi’s 3-15 helped the Titans restrict the Dolphins to under 100 which they chased down in 14.1 overs to reach the CSA T20 Challenge final.
When Tabraiz Shamsi finished his four overs, the Dolphins were 46/6. His hattrick added insult to injury when the Dolphins had already been rattled up top by the Titans seamers who cleaned up the top 3 – Junior Dala and Lizaad Williams taking 2 and 1 wicket respectively.
This early destruction included the wickets of Proteas players Keegan Petersen and David Miller, Williams dismissing the latter.
The Dolphins took themselves to 25 runs but on the last two balls of the 8th over, Shamsi took his first two wickets of his hattrick. He was brought back in the 10th over and dismissed Andile Phehlukwayo to throttle the KZN-side at 27-6.
Aya Gqamane then found Eathen Bosch’s outside edge as the Dolphins lost their 7th wicket for 66 runs.
Khaya Zondo was the Dolphins’ best batter, but he was dismissed two balls later after 33 off 33 balls, thanks to an extraordinary catch by Heinrich Klaasen who turned around and sprinted from short square leg to take a magnificent catch in the deep.
The Dolphins managed to scrape together 93 runs in their 20 overs.
The Titans’ chase was made tougher than expected when Kerwin Mungroo took out their two senior players Quinton de Kock (0) and Theunis de Bruyn (18).
The task of reaching the 94-run targes was left to young Dewald Brevis to take his side home. He played some excellent shots, taking on some quality bowlers like Mungroo, Phehlukwayo and Ottniel Baartman with confidence while learning about his game during the process.
The 18-year-old was assisted by Heinrich Klaasen (10) and Sibonelo Makhanya (11*), but it was he who scored the bulk of the runs with his 38 off 30 balls (4 fours, 1 six).
Mungroo was the bowler to dismiss Brevis, as the Titans were reduced to 79-4.
Clean-hitter Donovan Ferreira joined Makhanya in the 13th over with 10 needed to win. Ferriera took 5 balls to get his eye in and smashed a massive six over long-on. He ran two to level the scores and Makhanya finished it with a single.
Makhanya finished with 18 off 11 balls to help the Northerns side complete a 6-wicket win.
Photo: Deryck Foster/BackpagePix
