Dolphins eye East London win

The Dolphins have struggled to string consistent performances together throughout their T20 campaign with a record – bar their first clash against the Cobras in Cape Town that was washed out – of LWLWLWL thus far, a trend they will be desperate to change with just two pool matches to go.

“We’ve done some very good things during this competition and we had opportunities against both the Lions in Johannesburg and the Cobras at Kingsmead on Sunday, but we just haven’t nailed all three facets of the game in the same match,” explains Hollywoodbets Dolphins head coach, Grant Morgan.


“Sure we’ve got individuals who can produce individual match winning performances but I won’t be happy until we fire altogether as a unit.”


The KZN franchise’s recent loss to the Cobras, together with the Highveld Lions’ victory over the Warriors in Durban on Sunday, saw them slip from third to fourth on the log with the fifth placed Cobras now breathing down their neck as well.

With just their match against the Warriors on Wednesday and their encounter against the Knights in Durban on Sunday remaining, the Dolphins will be eager to put in a brace of telling performances at the tail end of the round robin stage of the tournament.

“Sometimes you’re dealt the hand you deserve,” says a philosophical Morgan.

“Perhaps this extra pressure will work in our favour because we now don’t really have anything to lose; we’ve simply got to go out there and win.”

For the trip to East London the Dolphins selectors have made three changes to the squad from the one that faced the Cobras on Sunday.

Sibonelo Makhanya gets the nod ahead of fellow all-rounder Mbasa Gqadushe, Craig Alexander again replaces the again injured Rabian Engelbrecht while Kyle Nipper misses out on the trip as well.

“It is really unfortunate for Mbasa (Gqadushe) to miss out; he’s bowled courageously for us and landed the ball well.


“We’ve brought in the extra seam option in Sibz (Makhanya) though, especially after Shezi took that nasty knock (amidships) on Sunday, while our three spinners – Imran Tahir, Keshav Maharaj and Prenelan Subrayen – give us good experience in that department should we look to line up that way.”

The Dolphins clash against the Warriors gets underway at 18h00 on Wednesday while fans can purchase their tickets for Sunday’s contest against the Knights in Durban which starts at 14h30 from Sahara Stadium Kingsmead’s ticket office or via www.ticketpro.co.za.

HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS SQUAD:

Morné van Wyk (captain), Craig Alexander, Cody Chetty, Cameron Delport, Robbie Frylinck, Keshav Maharaj, Sibonelo Makhanya, Kevin Pietersen, Calvin Savage, Mthokozisi Shezi, Prenelan Subrayen, Imran Tahir, Khaya Zondo