Crucial period ahead of Dolphins in T20 Challenge

Currently sitting in fourth on the table the Dolphins can make big strides towards that home semi-final should they claim a few more wins in the second half of the tournament.

With a match this Friday and Sunday, the Dolphins will hope to bag two wins which will take them up the table into a position of strength. They face an in-form Lions side, a team they beat in the reverse fixture in Durban, as well as the Auto Investment North West Dragons in Potchefstroom on Sunday.

Hollywoodbets Dolphins assistant coach Mduduzi Mbatha says the team understand the importance of this period in the competition.

"We are excited going into this period and we have to peak at the right time which would be at the back end of the competition which excites us," Mbatha said.

"We have identified our focus areas and I think that we are close to putting in that complete performance. We've been working really hard on getting all the aspects of our game, the bowling, batting and fielding, all firing at once.

"The players are in a good place as a collective and that togetherness has brought us some good results so far in the tournament and it's going to be important heading into the final phases of the competition."

Even though the Dolphins can solidify their spot in the semi-final places should they get two good results this week, for Mbatha it's the old cliché of not looking past your next match.

"We will be taking it game by game," he added. "We don't want to look past the next task which is the Lions at the Wanderers on Friday.

"The team needs to make sure that we are ticking the boxes that we need to, and we have KPI's that we follow, and we would like to stick to those.

"T20 cricket has its ups and downs, and we need to make sure that we do our basics well and are ready for each game as it comes," Mbatha mentioned.

Young Tristan Luus made his debut for the Dolphins in their previous match against the AET Tuskers where he picked up 2/30 with the ball. Mbatha and the rest of the coaching staff are eager to see how he develops.

"He was very involved with the team’s efforts against the Tuskers and along with his two wickets he got a run out, so we are excited by what we saw from the youngster.

"We're also excited to see what he can bring to the table and are positive that there is an exciting future for the young man," Mbatha commented.

The Dolphins have gone in with a settled squad for the upcoming fixtures and the group continues to mesh youth with experience nicely as the men from Durban continue their charge to the play-offs.

Hollywoodbets Dolphins Squad:

Ottniel Baartman, Khaya Zondo, Grant Roelofsen, Okuhle Cele, Marques Ackerman, Eathan Bosch, Bryce Parsons, Tshepang Dithole, Andile Phehlukwayo, Jason Smith, Jon-Jon Smuts, Tristan Luus, Andile Simelane, Prenelan Subrayen.