Klusener blitz sinks Warriors

A 17-ball blitz from Lance Klusener, the Dolphins captain, smashed the Warriors out of this Standard Bank Cup game. Coming in at No.8, Klusener hit five sixes in his 39 to lead his team to a three-wicket win at Mercedes Benz Park, East London.

Having been set a target of 224 the Dolphins were always behind the eight-ball as they progressively fell away from the required rate. Dale Benkenstein and Jon Kent tried to get on level terms with the Warriors, but with both falling in the forties they had almost prepared the script for Klusener. When he came to the crease the Dolphins were still 44 runs behind with 31 balls to be bowled. Four sighters followed before the first six went out the ground. Tyron Henderson then felt the might of the man as Klusener sent three consecutive balls over the ropes and the damage had been done. A further six cleared the ropes and the Dolphins had won with five balls to spare. For once the tactic of batting Klusener so low down in the order had worked, but only just.

Thanks to a whirlwind innings of 28 off 14 balls from Henderson the Warriors were able to post a reasonable total of 223 for 9 in their 45 overs. For a brief period in the middle of the innings the run rate had reached five runs to the over after a 51 from Justin Kreusch and a 49 from Arno Jacobs. With no-one able to stay with him Henderson chanced his arm once too often to be bowled, virtually ending the Warriors' onslaught. Nanty Hayward, making his season debut for the Dolphins, bowled well for seven overs but had the misfortune of bowling at the death as he gave away 27 runs in his last two with Henderson on a mission. He picked up two wickets while Andrew Tweedie cleaned up the tail to take three.