Price, Smuts set up win for Warriors
The pair led the Warriors to a comfortable four-wicket victory over the previously unbeaten Sunfoil Dolphins at The Oval, in Pietermaritzburg yesterday.
Smuts fell six short of a century as he made 94 from 121 deliveries, while fellow opener Price struck 70 in 104.
Christiaan Jonker also played a vital role with his unbeaten 30 off 16 at the death to help the EasterN Cape side chase the 275 victory target with three balls to spare.
Earlier, Vaughn van Jaarsveld struck a career-best 118 from 99 balls and Cody Chetty hit 50 off 80 to lift the hosts to 274 for eight.
The Warriors began well after winning the toss and bowling first as Andrew Birch (3-31) cleaned up Cameron Delport, fresh off his world record stand with fellow opener Morne van Wyk, for a five-ball duck inside the first over.
The Dolphins continued to stutter along before Van Wyk too fell -- the veteran wicketkeeper chopping on from Basheer Walters for 14 after his mammoth unbeaten 175 against the Knights in the previous game.
During that game on Friday, the captain and Delport, who struck 169 not out, shared a 367 stand, which was the highest for any wicket, but this time their side had slumped to 29 for two in the 12th over.
But Van Jaarsveld and Chetty rebuilt the innings nicely with a 100 stand in just under 18 overs.
The partnership ended on 100 when Chetty meekly surrendered his wicket with a chip to Colin Ingram at short midwicket off Simon Harmer.
Khaya Zondo (25) added exactly 50 with Van Jaarsveld for the fourth wicket as the momentum continued, until the former was trapped leg before wicket by Walters.
The Dolphins' innings looked like it would fade at that stage, but Robbie Frylinck (42 not out off 21) provided a sting in the tail by bludgeoning 31 in the final over that went for two sixes and four boundaries.
The Warriors made a blistering start thanks to a 127-run stand by the openers.
Price went to his 50 in 81 balls, but chopped on from Prenelan Subrayen (2-51) not long after.
Smuts, dropped by Chetty at midwicket in the ninth over, continued to battle away and got to his own half-century in 86 deliveries as the visitors started to dominate.
Ingram helped add 72 for the next wicket, taking the Warriors to 199 before being stumped by Van Wyk off Subrayen for 32.
The 200 was raised in the 42nd over with key man Smuts eventually falling six short of his century.
However, Jonker finished things off despite Craig Alexander (3-54) bagging three late wickets. The Warriors finished on 275/6, with three balls in hand.
(File photo: Gallo Images)
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