Dolphins overcome Warriors to earn home semifinal, Lions end top

The Dolphins sneaked into second place to earn a home semifinal after a comfortable seven-wicket victory over the Warriors in an all-important Cricket South Africa T20 Challenge clash in Nelson Mandela Bay on Sunday.

The Gauteng Lions, who beat the Tuskers by seven wickets, ended in top spot and will contest semifinal one against the Titans on Wednesday. The Dolphins, who move into second place with their victory, host the Warriors at Kingsmead on Thursday. 

A well-structured 75 runs between Jason Smith and Jon-Jon Smuts saw the Dolphins reach the 131-run winning target with 16 balls to spare.

Chasing 131 for victory, the visitors lost Khaya Zondo for seven runs, caught by Sean Whitehead off Patrick Kruger before Grant Roelofson fell for 22 from 12 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes before Siya Simetu sent him back to the dugout, with the score on 32. 

However, Smith and Smuts steadied the ship for the KwaZulu-Natal side, taking them to 50/2 after the power play. 

The pair took the Dolphins past 100, sharing a structured half-century partnership for the fourth wicket to take the game away from the Warriors. 

Smuts and Smith ended unbeaten on 43 and 41 respectively. Kruger finished with 1/20 from two overs while JP King and Simetu returned figures of 1/32 and 1/35.

Earlier, a Daryn Dupavillon five-wicket haul dismantled the Warriors batting line-up despite a disciplined half-century by left-hander Jordan Hermann in their modest total of 130 for eight in their 20 overs.

Asked to bat first by the visitors, Hermann struck four fours and two sixes for his 65 runs off 53 balls as Dolphins' quick Dupavillon claimed a career-first five-wicket haul in the shorter format.

The hosts were in early trouble after losing three wickets for 29 runs inside the power play as Dupavillon removed both Jiveshan Pillay (0) and skipper Matthew Breetzke (7), either side of Eathan Bosch's dismissal of Andile Mokgakane (5), as they slipped to 29/3 after the power play.

Hermann and King shared 54 runs for the fourth wicket before the latter was removed by skipper Prenelan Subrayen for 17, while Bosch removed Sinethemba Qeshile for 17 as well, having helped take the Warriors past 100.

Dupavillon returned in the final over to strike three times, removing Hermann, Kruger (12) and Simetu for a duck to close out the innings.

Dupavillon recorded 5/20 from four overs.

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