In an exciting finish, the Nashua Dolphins beat the Mercedes Warriors by three wickets with five balls to spare in a Standard Bank Cup cricket match at Mercedes-Benz Park in East London on Monday.
Everything seemed to be going the Warriors’ way until the advent of Dolphins skipper Lance Klusener.
He came in with 44 runs needed off just 31 balls and proceeded to annihilate the Warriors’ bowling. He smashed Lyall Meyer for a six, just clearing the long-on fielder.
Then, with three overs remaining, Lundi Mbane bowled a great over, restricting Klusener and Duncan Brown to just five runs.
Tyron Henderson returned for his second spell and Klusener swung him high over the square-leg boundary for a huge six.
The next ball disappeared for another six — this time over long-on, and suddenly only 10 runs were required off nine balls. Another six followed and 19 came off the over.
In the last over, Mbane dropped one short and Klusener slammed the ball over the mid-wicket boundary — game over.
Two magnificent run-outs by the Warriors had kept them in the game.
The first saw opener Imraan Khan run out when Laden Gamiet fielded from about 45m out and sent the stumps flying, with Khan desperately striving to reach safety.
The second saw the demise of Hashim Amla. Ironically, the Warriors’ ground fielding was shoddy at times, with at least 20 runs given away through bad fielding.
Earlier, the Warriors — batting first after winning the toss — scored 223 for nine wickets in their allotted 45 overs.
Opener Justin Kreusch was in fine form and he was on the attack throughout his accomplished 57. He reached his half-century off 55 balls and along with captain Robin Peterson was associated in a most impressive second-wicket partnership of 66 in 12 overs.
Kreusch continued to attack the bowling before he was needlessly run out in the 21st over. He took on Hashim Amla at cover, but a direct hit had him struggling and he was run out by centimetres.
Arno Jacobs was soon at home at the wicket, and he played some elegant shots around the wicket.
However, Dolphins skipper Lance Klusener latched on to a magnificent catch at mid-wicket to get rid of Jacobs for 49 just as he looked as if he would go on to a big score.
The arrival of big-hitting Tyron Henderson at 174-4 brought about hope, and he did not disappoint, slamming two sixes and three fours in a 14-ball knock of 28.
But after Jacobs was dismissed at 211-5, the Warriors were rolled over, with the last five wickets going for just 12 runs.
The destroyer-in-chief was medium-pacer Andrew Tweedie, who bowled straight and accurately, picking up three wickets — all clean bowled. — Sapa