Port Elizabeth – Captain Colin Ingram kept his nerve under intense pressure until the final ball to guide the Warriors to a seven-wicket victory over the Dolphins in their Ram Slam T20 Challenge match at St George's on Friday.
Chasing 143 for victory and needing eight off the final over, the Warriors left it to the last ball as Ingram pierced the cover field to notch up the required two runs for victory.
Ingram was superb throughout the run-chase and especially so in a 97-run, match-winning partnership with Jon-Jon Smuts for the second wicket.
He finished on 64 not out, while Smuts added 54 as the Eastern Cape franchise racked up their first victory in the competition in four matches.
Dwayne Bravo was the pick of Dolphins bowlers taking two wicket for 20 runs in his four overs.
Dolphins captain Morne van Wyk won the toss earlier and no sooner had he elected to bat than he was out caught by opposite number Ingram for eight with the total on 16.
The big-hitting Cameron Delport was joined by another forceful player in Cody Chetty and the pair set about the Warriors bowlers launching some of biggest sixes ever witnessed at the grounds.
But seamer Aya Gqamane, after conceding 21 runs in his opening over, struck in his second, removing Chetty for 19 off 10 balls.
Delport went on to top-score with 34, which was scored off only 21 deliveries with three sixes and two fours. He became offspinner Simon Harmer's first victim, trapped in front after being rushed by a quicker delivery.
Soon after that Harmer caught and bowled the dangerous Vaughn van Jaarsveld for four to finish with the tidy figures of two for 22 in his quota of overs.
With wickets tumbling, the Dolphins needed some stability in the middle overs and that was provided by Dwayne Bravo (21) and Khayelihle Zondo (20) while Robbie Frylinck clubbed an unbeaten 21to give the innings some impetus at the death. – Sapa