The Highveld Lions spearheaded by an undefeated sixth-wicket partnership of 108 between Zander de Bruyn and Thami Tsolekile cruised to a five wicket victory over the Dolphins in their MTN40 match at the Wanderers on Friday.
The Lions chasing a target of 197, after restricting the Dolphins to 196 for seven, set about the task with gusto putting on 40 for the first wicket and with everything in the garden looking rosy, Jean Symes misread a Jon Kent delivery and was trapped in front.
The visitor's captain Imran Khan then introduced Imran Tahir into the attack, and the leg-spinner set about destroying the Lions middle-order on his own.
Richard Cameron, Stephen Cook, Neil McKenzie and Temba Bavuma were all back in the hut, with Tahir's figures reading 4-0-20-4.
But despite this set-back the home side still had their noses in front, and that was where they were to stay.
When the dust had settled De Bruyn and Tsolekile were on 52 and 49 respectively.
Earlier, the visitors who had been invited to take first strike after the Lions captain Thami Tsolekile had won the toss, were deep in the mire from the outset, with three batsmen back in the hut within five overs for 22 runs.
Imran Khan (5) looked to be completely out of his depth, edging a peach of a delivery from Craig Alexander to the keeper Tsolekile. Ahmed Amla (1) was castled by Friedel de Wet and Ravi Bopara went without bothering the scorers.
Disaster struck when the Dolphins opener Loots Bosman was forced to retire after a rising Alexander delivery hit the batsman on his left hand and was unable to continue.
Vaughn van Jaarsveld - who left the Lions under a cloud after signing a contract with the Dolphins, unbeknown to his Province - was the next man in. However, it proved to be a short stay at the crease as De Wet induced the batsman to pull a delivery to Cameron at third-man, with his 28 minute sojourn at the crease realising 10 runs.
The recovery was instigated by David Miller and Glen Addicott with a sixth-wicket partnership of 85.
It came as a surprise when Miller - who had hardly been troubled -suffered a slight aberration and danced down the track to off-spinner Werner Coetsee and was stumped by Tsolekile for a 43-ball 42.
Justice was seen to be done as Miller had clobbered the spinner for a huge six, which had been deposited in the stands.
Addicott who had struck three fours and four maximums in an 84-ball 61 became Tsolekile's fourth victim, the middle-order batsman edging an Aaron Phangiso delivery to the gloveman. - Sapa