A home crowd of 12 426 spectators was shocked into stunned silence at Kingsmead Friday night when the KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins slumped to 130 for seven in reply to the Northern Titans total of 161 for seven in their Standard Bank Pro20 cricket match.
Titans won by 31 runs and had Daryll Cullinan and Brendon Reddy named as Master Blaster batsman and bowler respectively. The Dolphins gained a valuable bonus point nonetheless.
The Titans innings was bolstered by too many extras after Dale Benkenstein had asked them to bat after he had won the toss yet again.
With local hero Lance Klusener failing (none for 31 in four overs and bowled for three), the Dolphins were doomed to defeat. It was something unexpected after John Kent had demolished the Titans middle order with four for 25 as he dismissed Andrew Hall (41), Martin van Jaarsveld (29), Justin Kemp (4) and Gerald Dros (0).
All to no avail as the Dolphins batting crumbled against Kemp (three for 25) and Brendon Reddy (two for 20). Only Hashim Amla with 35 and Wade Wingfield with 25 really set the fans cheering as they put on 48 for the first wicket.
But after that it was downhill all the way.
The Titans were probably disappointed with their meagre total of 161 for seven which many believed was at least 20 runs shy of a challenging mark.
But that proved not to be the case in the end. Andrew Hall, who top-scored with 41, after opening partner Jacques Rudolph had been smartly run out by Dale Benkenstein, provided the early groundwork.
He hit five fours and faced 43 balls in the process.
Goolam Bodi, now back in Gauteng after several years in Durban, got 21 pretty quickly before being bowled by speedster Mfoneko Ngam and Martin van Jaarsveld (29) also put the Dolphins under pressure for 26 minutes with three four and a six.
It was left to Daryll Cullinan to put the sparkle into the Titans with a quickfire 34 that included three sixes and two fours off just 14 balls.
He was pretty severe on Wade Wingfield who went for 18 in the only over he bowled. – Sapa