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Khan lauds Dolphins on One Day Cup triumph

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Imraan Khan (Gallo Images)
Imraan Khan (Gallo Images)

Following a curtailed One Day Cup due to the spread of the coronavirus, Cricket South Africa have decided to award the Dolphins with the 50-over competition title while KZN Coastal will share the 3-Day Provincial Cup title.

The Dolphins were the form team through the competition as they won seven of their ten games during the group stages of the competition to finish on the top of the log with a guaranteed home semi-final and a home final.

The top performer with the bat for the Dolphins was Grant Roelofsen, who finished the competition as the leading run scorer with 588 runs at an average of 65.33 and a top score of 147 not out.

From a bowling front, Keshav Maharaj was the pick of the bowlers with sixteen wickets in just seven matches at an average of 14 runs per wicket.

It was an impressive effort from the side who was led admirably by Maharaj, and in his absence Prenelan Subrayen. The side picked up two bonus point wins, both against the Knights and will now boast two 50-over trophies in three seasons.

"We worked hard on our white ball skills and the team did really well to get themselves into such a strong position in the competition," head coach Imraan Khan said.

"There were match winners throughout our line-up and that is how you want to play cricket and it gave us a lot of confidence.

"The culture that we are trying to build here is working and we are looking forward to building on that in the coming season."

It was a first major trophy for Khan in his first season as the head coach of the Dolphins franchise, along with his assistant Quinton Friend and fielding coach Mduduzi Mbatha they have formed a strong coaching unit.

KZN Coastal also repeated the feat they achieved two seasons ago when they won the 3-Day Provincial Cup title. This season they will share the trophy with Easterns but the side once again proved their worth in red ball cricket.

"To have two sides walking away with silverware again this season is fantastic," said CEO of KZN Cricket, Heinrich Strydom.

"The Dolphins played some brilliant cricket in the white ball competition and despite the disappointment of not having the play-off's we are proud of what the team achieved to finish top of the log.

"It is hugely encouraging to see the KZN Coastal team performing so well in the red ball competition and it bodes well for the next generation of players coming through the pipeline into the Dolphins mix."

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