The Dolphins got their Pro20 campaign off to a good start when they demolished the Gestetner Diamond Eagles by 68-runs in their opening match, to secure a valuable bonus point, before rain washed out their second game, against the Nashua Titans.

“It was a good weekend, a lot better start than we had last season. Seven out of eight possible points we will definitely take,” Amla told SuperSport.

The Dolphins play their first home match of the competition on Friday against the Nashua Cape Cobras and Amla is confident that a combination of home-field advantage and in-form players will stand his team in good stead.

“If we execute our disciplines while playing at home we could make it quite difficult for visiting teams. Our opening partnership is really our foundation. If we can get off to good starts with HD (Ackerman) and Grant (Rowley) it will give us a good platform,” said Amla.

Amla is also pleased with how his team has evolved over the last two seasons.

“This year we are a lot more balanced as a team. Last year we had a very good pace attack but this year our batting is up there with other teams in the country as well.”

Last season the Dolphins made the Standard Bank Pro20 final before losing out to the Titans. With a place in the lucrative IPL Champions League, to be played in India, up for grabs for this year’s finalists Amla is only to aware of the incentives that await the Dolphins if the team can make the final.

“The guys know what is at stake and they know the rewards if we do make the final. We have played some good Pro20 cricket in the last year and a half and this time, not only do we want to get to the final, we want to win the competition for a change.”

The Dolphins have been boosted by the news that Proteas batsman Hashim Amla will be available for his team’s Pro20 campaign when he returns from national duty in Australia.

Ahmed Amla revealed that there is a chance that Sri Lankan star Sanath Jayasuriya could be available to the Dolphins if they made the Pro20 semifinal.

Nashua Dolphins squad to face the Cobras - Ahmed Amla (captain) Grant Rowley, Imraan Khan, HD Ackerman, Jon Kent, Daryn Smit, Pierre de Bruyn, Alfonso Thomas, Johann Louw, Quinton Friend, Yusuf Abdulla, Keshav Maharaj, Martin Bekker, Viyash Gobind