Pietersen lifts Dolphins to fourth consecutive win
A round-up of the Ram Slam T20 Challenge games played on November 8, 2015
ESPNcricinfo staff
08-Nov-2015
Kevin Pietersen smashed six fours and four sixes in his 68 • Getty Images
Kevin Pietersen continued his fine form for Dolphins with his third successive fifty-plus score to guide Dolphins to their fourth win in as many games - and to the top of the points table - against Warriors in Durban.
After being put in to bat, Dolphins lost Cameron Delport early as the batsman got a thick inside edge which was acrobatically taken by Clyde Fortuin. Pietersen started slowly - scoring two off his first eight balls - but then got stuck into the bowling and found the boundary with regularity. Morne van Wyk anchored the innings from the other end and struck a fifty (53) of his own. The second-wicket stand swelled to 92 before Pietersen holed out to long-on for a 44-ball 68 in the 13th over. David Miller provided the late impetus with 46 off just 25 balls as Dolphins smashed 52 off the last five overs to finish with 179 for 4.
The Warriors chase began in sprightly fashion with the openers - JJ Smuts (30) and Colin Ackermann (26) adding 44 in 34 balls. However, the bowlers kept chipping away at the wickets, stalling the run-rate in the process. Prenelan Subrayen picked up 4 for 29 and Delport also took three wickets as the Warriors were eventually bundled out for 145 in the 20th over.
Farhaan Behardien's counter-attacking 61 powered Titans to a total of 173 for 5 against Cape Cobras in Centurion, a total they easily defended by 26 runs to record their second successive win.
Titans lost two early wickets after being put in to bat before Quinton de Kock (34) and Graeme van Buuren (27) formed a 51-run stand. However, Justin Ontong dismissed them both in the 11th over to reduce Titans to 74 for 4. Behardien then took charge after getting himself set as the runs started to flow. Behardien, along with Albie Morkel, clobbered 46 runs in the last three overs as Titans put up a formidable score.
Cobras lost Richard Levi in the second over for 11 but a 43-run, second-wicket stand between Andrew Puttick and Keegan Petersen meant the match was not out of their grasp. However, a clump of wickets followed which reduced Cobras to 73 for 4 in the 12th over. Omphile Ramela and Sybrand Engelbrecht forged a 50-run partnership but with the required run-rate spiralling out of control, Cobras could only manage 147 for 6. Morkel, Chris Morris and Ruben Claassen picked up two wickets apiece.