Hollywoodbets Dolphins had to settle for a draw in their Sunfoil Series clash with the VKB Knights as the elements removed any chance of a result in the match.
Weather forces draw in Dolphins & Knights Sunfoil Series clash
Durban – After losing the first day to the elements, time in the fixture slipped away from the Hollywoodbets Dolphins as they had to settle for a draw in their Sunfoil Series clash with the VKB Knights at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead on Sunday.
Despite the rain on the first day, the game moved along fairly swiftly after the visitors won the toss and put the hosts in to bat on what Theunis de Bruyn might have felt would have been a lively wicket, however, the Dolphins started off strongly despite losing Senuran Muthusamy early.
A strong second wicket stand from Player of the Match SJ Erwee (151) and Vaughn van Jaarsveld (53) gave the Dolphins the momentum as they continued to score freely.
Cody Chetty joined Erwee after the fall of Van Jaarsveld and the pair continued to put the visitors bowling attack under pressure as they put on 159 for the third wicket before Erwee fell for an impressive 151 from 197 balls.
Chetty then went on to notch up his eighth first class century as the Dolphins ended the second day on a positive 343/5.
Chetty was the first to fall on day three when he was bowled for 105, however the following batsmen continued positively with Morné van Wyk (62) registering a half century while Rob Frylinck (20) and Calvin Savage (16 from 14 balls) provided end-of-the-innings impetus.
The Dolphins declared their first innings closed on 426/8.
In reply the Knights were undone by some accurate new ball bowling as wickets for Frylinck, and two for Athie Maposa put the defending champions on the back foot early in their first innings as they were restricted to 43/3.
The Dolphins continued to penetrate the Knights batting line up and despite a 178 run partnership between Pite van Biljoen and Rudi Second the hosts still held the upper hand as left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy provided captain Khaya Zondo with a golden arm when he accounted for four of the Knights batsmen.
Muthusamy ended with figures of 4/64 with Frylinck finishing with 3/57 as the Dolphins restricted the men from Bloemfontein to 291 all out early on the final day.
The Dolphins might have had a thought of producing a favourable result however when they lost Erwee early for a duck in their second innings and the chances of a result slipped away despite being 232 runs ahead.
Van Jaarsveld notched up a second half century of the match as he ended the match 56 not out as the game petered out to a tame draw.
The Hollywoodbets Dolphins now sit on 28.86 points after their opening two games of the 2017/18 Sunfoil Series.
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