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Dolphins, Lions cross fingers for good weather

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Grant Morgan (Gallo Images)
Grant Morgan (Gallo Images)

Durban - Grant Morgan believes there is no need to panic for his Dolphins side as they prepare to take on the Highveld Lions in a vital RAM SLAM T20 Challenge encounter at Kingsmead on Wednesday.

The hosts are presently third on the table, but have worryingly won only one game thus far after four of their seven matches were washed out by the rain, including three at their home ground.

Dolphins coach Morgan has always maintained that they will not allow the weather to frustrate them as it is was beyond their control, but other things appear to be annoying him after they slipped to a one-run loss to the Warriors at the weekend, their second loss in the competition to date.

“We dominate extended periods of the game and won small battles within the game, but then we lose a battle within the game so big that we can’t find that other run or that other yard,” he said. “So it’s all there and we just need to touch up those little bits.”

Now they face a tricky conclusion to the tournament. They are among five sides separated by four points on the table, with three of them gunning for a place in the semi-finals, which the log-leading Titans have already qualified for.

Asked if he had a specific points target for the remaining three games, Morgan added: “We’re trying to win three cricket games, that’s the approach for us, starting with the Lions tomorrow (Wednesday).

“So nothing has changed for us. It’s key for me that the guys maintain what they have been doing.

“Last year we were on the other scale where we were top and ended up missing out, hopefully this year it will be other way around. So there’s no need to panic at this stage.” 

Lions coach Geoffrey Toyana is just hoping for a game in Durban.

With more wet weather forecast for game-day, the chances of playing do not look entirely good, although for two of the three abandoned games, the forecast was clear.

The Johannesburg-based side had their last match against the Knights called off after just 13 overs on Friday.

“It has been frustrating because there were two games we did not play,” Toyana said. “In the last game we were in a good position, but unfortunately it rained there and now we’re going to Durban where we all know what the weather has been like.

“So it is getting tight and fortunately the results went our way over the weekend. It’s kind of put everyone on even keel again.”

Toyana reckons that one win may be enough to get one of the sides through.

“I suspect that a team can still make it with one win, but I guess you will need two just to be safe,” he concluded. “So we hope we can get some cricket in and get the result we require.”

            
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