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East London - David Miller narrowly missed out on a century as he propelled the Nashua Dolphins to an 11-run win over the Chevrolet Warriors in their Standard Bank Pro20 match at Buffalo Park on Friday.
Miller breezed to 90 not out off just 57 deliveries as the Dolphins posted 155 for four.
In reply the Warriors, despite 68 not out from Jon-Jon Smuts, could only manage 144 for five with medium-pacer Jon Kent returning the impressive figures of two for 18 off four overs.
The left-handed Miller may have missed out on the South Africa World Cup squad after a run of low scores for the national team but he showed what he is capable of as he thumped eight fours and four sixes during his chanceless knock.
The 21-year-old, after reaching fifty off 38 deliveries, made light work of a pitch which was a touch on the low and slow side which did very little to aid adventurous strokeplay.
Miller was particularly strong down the ground with all of his sixes scored between long-on and long-off as he equalled his best Pro20 score.
The Dolphins won the toss and elected to bat and they made a super start as Devon Conway (18) slapped two fours and a six off the second over of the innings, bowled by Makhaya Ntini.
But Ntini had his revenge in his next over when he had Conway (18) caught at deep square leg.
Loots Bosman (11) was caught in the same place, off a delivery from seamer Andrew Birch, before Miller and Vaughn van Jaarsveld (16) added 41 runs for the third wicket.
However, van Jaarsveld was not at his fluent best and the left-hander eventually holed out to long-on off a Lyall Meyer delivery.
Imraan Khan (12) joined Miller and the duo added 43 runs before Khan was flummoxed by a delivery from seamer Rusty Theron to send a leading edge to short third man.
Miller ensured that the Dolphins had a respectable target to defend as he pounded the last two balls of the innings for a six and a four off the bowling of Birch.
Theron was, by some distance, the most impressive Warriors bowler on show as he returned figures of one for 20 off four over.
The Warriors made a stuttering start to their innings as they slipped to 28 for three.
The Dolphins’ new import, Pakistan seamer Yasir Arafat, enjoyed a dream start to his career with the KwaZulu-Natal franchise as he yorked Davy Jacobs (1) with his third ball in Pro20 cricket.
Ashwell Prince (7) then skyed a delivery from Kent out to mid-on where a backpedalling Khan took a superb catch over his head before Justin Kreusch was run out for two.
But Mark Boucher and Smuts launched a super counter-attack as their fourth-wicket stand produced 83 runs off 9.4 overs.
Boucher was at his belligerent best as he raced to 43 off 31 balls and the match seemed to have swung in the Warriors’ favour.
But a short rain delay saw the hosts lose their momentum as Boucher was stumped off a delivery from left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj off the first ball after the resumption.
Smuts tried his best to keep his team in the match as he struck eight fours and two sixes during his 51-ball innings but Craig Thyssen (1) was caught behind off Kent while Nicky Boje ended not out on 15 as the Warriors’ charge fell away.
The result keeps the Dolphins at the top of the table after two wins in two matches while the Warriors slip to fifth thanks to a win and a loss in their two matches. Teams
Chevrolet Warriors - Davy Jacobs (capt), Ashwell Prince, Justin Kreusch, Craig Thyssen, Jon-Jon Smuts, Mark Boucher, Nicky Boje, Lyall Meyer, Andrew Birch, Rusty Theron, Makhaya Ntini.
Nashua Dolphins - Imraan Khan (capt), Loots Bosman, Ahmed Amla, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, David Miller, Devon Conway, Jon Kent, Daryn Smit, Yasir Arafat, Kyle Abbott, Keshav Maharaj.
Miller breezed to 90 not out off just 57 deliveries as the Dolphins posted 155 for four.
In reply the Warriors, despite 68 not out from Jon-Jon Smuts, could only manage 144 for five with medium-pacer Jon Kent returning the impressive figures of two for 18 off four overs.
The left-handed Miller may have missed out on the South Africa World Cup squad after a run of low scores for the national team but he showed what he is capable of as he thumped eight fours and four sixes during his chanceless knock.
The 21-year-old, after reaching fifty off 38 deliveries, made light work of a pitch which was a touch on the low and slow side which did very little to aid adventurous strokeplay.
Miller was particularly strong down the ground with all of his sixes scored between long-on and long-off as he equalled his best Pro20 score.
The Dolphins won the toss and elected to bat and they made a super start as Devon Conway (18) slapped two fours and a six off the second over of the innings, bowled by Makhaya Ntini.
But Ntini had his revenge in his next over when he had Conway (18) caught at deep square leg.
Loots Bosman (11) was caught in the same place, off a delivery from seamer Andrew Birch, before Miller and Vaughn van Jaarsveld (16) added 41 runs for the third wicket.
However, van Jaarsveld was not at his fluent best and the left-hander eventually holed out to long-on off a Lyall Meyer delivery.
Imraan Khan (12) joined Miller and the duo added 43 runs before Khan was flummoxed by a delivery from seamer Rusty Theron to send a leading edge to short third man.
Miller ensured that the Dolphins had a respectable target to defend as he pounded the last two balls of the innings for a six and a four off the bowling of Birch.
Theron was, by some distance, the most impressive Warriors bowler on show as he returned figures of one for 20 off four over.
The Warriors made a stuttering start to their innings as they slipped to 28 for three.
The Dolphins’ new import, Pakistan seamer Yasir Arafat, enjoyed a dream start to his career with the KwaZulu-Natal franchise as he yorked Davy Jacobs (1) with his third ball in Pro20 cricket.
Ashwell Prince (7) then skyed a delivery from Kent out to mid-on where a backpedalling Khan took a superb catch over his head before Justin Kreusch was run out for two.
But Mark Boucher and Smuts launched a super counter-attack as their fourth-wicket stand produced 83 runs off 9.4 overs.
Boucher was at his belligerent best as he raced to 43 off 31 balls and the match seemed to have swung in the Warriors’ favour.
But a short rain delay saw the hosts lose their momentum as Boucher was stumped off a delivery from left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj off the first ball after the resumption.
Smuts tried his best to keep his team in the match as he struck eight fours and two sixes during his 51-ball innings but Craig Thyssen (1) was caught behind off Kent while Nicky Boje ended not out on 15 as the Warriors’ charge fell away.
The result keeps the Dolphins at the top of the table after two wins in two matches while the Warriors slip to fifth thanks to a win and a loss in their two matches. Teams
Chevrolet Warriors - Davy Jacobs (capt), Ashwell Prince, Justin Kreusch, Craig Thyssen, Jon-Jon Smuts, Mark Boucher, Nicky Boje, Lyall Meyer, Andrew Birch, Rusty Theron, Makhaya Ntini.
Nashua Dolphins - Imraan Khan (capt), Loots Bosman, Ahmed Amla, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, David Miller, Devon Conway, Jon Kent, Daryn Smit, Yasir Arafat, Kyle Abbott, Keshav Maharaj.
