Zondo inspired Dolphins through to T20 final

Zondo’s knock of 58 not out off, 45 deliveries wasthe difference between the sides after the Dolphins suffered a middle order collapse before Zondo’s penultimate over blitz got them over the line.

"I knew that if we batted out our 120 balls we would win the game," ZOndo said. "Obviously the rate got up to eight or nine an over, but we knew that if we batted our overs, they would have to defend which is very tough.

"It was always going to come down to a pressure moment and they will be under pressure and the nineteenth over was that moment and it was with the wind, and we knew we had to just play the field as well."

Thursday was Zondo’s day, Wednesday, belonged to Jason Smith and Daryn Dupavillon and for Zondo, having all players contribute to wins puts them in a good spot going into Friday’s final.

“Having contributions across the board is something that we have emphasised and tried to create culture-wise.

“It’s not always going to be your day but when it is your day you must make sure that that performance is a match-winning one,” Zondo added.

Bowling first, the Dolphins managed to maintain pressure throughout their bowling innings and with some tight overs and some good fielding restricted the Titans to 138 all out.

Ottniel Baartman’s career-best four for 18 was the pick of the Dolphins bowlers and he managed to take wickets at the top of the innings and then again at the death despite some strong hitting from the lower order of the Titans batsmen.

The other bowlers to contribute to the effort were Ruan de Swart who took two for 22 in three overs while Thando Ntini returned figures of two for 26 in his four overs but he could have got a few more wickets if things had gone his way.

With the bat the Dolphins lost Keegan Petersen early after he got off to a brisk start. Marques Ackerman was then caught in the deep for six which saw the Dolphins 33 for two inside the powerplay.

Sarel Erwee and Zondo then combined to put on a steady 59 for the third wicket before Erwee was dismissed for 33.

The Titans bowlers then put the Dolphins under real pressure taking four wickets for 26 runs as they needed eighteen runs to win off the final twelve deliveries.

Zondo then dispatched the nineteenth over from Okuhle Cele for sixteen and him and Daryn Dupavillon  took two singles in the final over to take the Dolphins into another T20 final with three balls to spare.

The Dolphins will play the winners of the semi-final between the North-West Dragons and the Itec Knights in the final.

SUMMARY OF THE SCORE:
Momentum Multiply Titans 138 all out (O Baartman 4/18
Hollywoodbets Dolphins 139/6 (K Zondo 58* S Erwee 33)
Dolphins won by four wickets

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