Semi-final race hots up

A 118-run partnership between Ashraf Mall and Jon Kent was enough to seal a victory for the Dolphins over the Warriors at The Oval in Pietermaritzburg. Having been sent in to bat by the Warriors the Dolphins, at 49 for 4, were in dire straights when Mall and Kent started their rescue act. Brent Kops then levelled the scales as he dismissed Mall for 62, Kent for 78, Lance Klusener for 20 and Duncan Brown for three to finish on a career-best 5 for 42 as the Dolphins ended on 220 for 9.

A target of 221 should have been on the cards for the high-riding Warriors but they lost wickets at regular intervals and were reduced to 184 all out. Steven Pope (55) was the only batsman to come to terms with some good all-round bowling from the Dolphins. Andrew Tweedie took four wickets, Klusener three, and young Tyron Pillay took two as the Dolphins kept their hopes alive for a semi-final spot.

At the Wanderers in Johannesburg a century from Neil McKenzie could not save the Lions from losing to Western Province Boland. Winning the toss and electing to bat Western Province Boland scored an entertaining 250 for 6 with Henry Davids (84) and Ashwell Prince (50) doing the damage. Some indisciplined bowling from the Lions coupled with some solid partnerships set Province up for the win.

The Lions lost Stephen Cook with the first ball of their innings but recovered well as Adam Bacher and McKenzie took them to 112, when Bacher fell on 49. McKenzie tried in vain to maintain the momentum, but with wickets falling around him, and only Justin Ontong managing to get into double figures, the cause was lost as they were bowled out for 205 having just secured the bonus point.