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Durban - The Dolphins ensured that the race for top spot in the RAM SLAM T20 will go down to the final game of the league phase as they beat the Knights in a rain-affected game at Kingsmead on Friday.
The Cape Cobras had secured a bonus-point win over the Highveld Lions in the day’s other fixture, and the Dolphins matched that to maintain the two-point gap to the Cobras.
Should the Cobras lose on Sunday and the Dolphins win then the Kwazulu-Natal outfit could secure a home final, but if the Cobras win then the Dolphins will host Wednesday’s playoff regardless of their own result on Sunday.
Friday’s game saw the Dolphins post 170 for four after being asked to bat first, before rain reduced the Knights target to 127 from 14 overs.
With the Knights bowled out for 86 in 13.2 overs, the Dolphins won by 40 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method.
The Dolphins total was set up by Cameron Delport, who smashed 56 from 36 balls to continue his good season. The 24-year-old provided the major impetus when he hit Werner Coetsee for three consecutive sixes to go to his half-century in just 33 balls.
With David Miller striking 39 from 27 balls and the rest of the top five all chipping in, the Knights were unable to pull the game back as the Dolphins put up a commanding total.
The Knights reply was disrupted by rain after just two deliveries, and they lost Rilee Rossouw, Reeza Hendricks and Dean Elgar - their three best batsmen in the competition this year - in the four overs after the resumption.
Wickets continued to fall from there on, and with the Knights also struggling to score at a decent rate the focus shifted on to whether they could reach 101 and deny the Dolphins a bonus point.
They ultimately fell well short as Keshav Maharaj recorded figures of 3 for 27 in three overs and Kyle Abbott (2 for 6) picked up the final wicket to put the match to bed.
The Cape Cobras had secured a bonus-point win over the Highveld Lions in the day’s other fixture, and the Dolphins matched that to maintain the two-point gap to the Cobras.
Should the Cobras lose on Sunday and the Dolphins win then the Kwazulu-Natal outfit could secure a home final, but if the Cobras win then the Dolphins will host Wednesday’s playoff regardless of their own result on Sunday.
Friday’s game saw the Dolphins post 170 for four after being asked to bat first, before rain reduced the Knights target to 127 from 14 overs.
With the Knights bowled out for 86 in 13.2 overs, the Dolphins won by 40 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method.
The Dolphins total was set up by Cameron Delport, who smashed 56 from 36 balls to continue his good season. The 24-year-old provided the major impetus when he hit Werner Coetsee for three consecutive sixes to go to his half-century in just 33 balls.
With David Miller striking 39 from 27 balls and the rest of the top five all chipping in, the Knights were unable to pull the game back as the Dolphins put up a commanding total.
The Knights reply was disrupted by rain after just two deliveries, and they lost Rilee Rossouw, Reeza Hendricks and Dean Elgar - their three best batsmen in the competition this year - in the four overs after the resumption.
Wickets continued to fall from there on, and with the Knights also struggling to score at a decent rate the focus shifted on to whether they could reach 101 and deny the Dolphins a bonus point.
They ultimately fell well short as Keshav Maharaj recorded figures of 3 for 27 in three overs and Kyle Abbott (2 for 6) picked up the final wicket to put the match to bed.
