Johannesburg - Ottniel Baartman’s career-best 4/20 and a ninth T20 half-century from Sarel Erwee saw the Dolphins claim a comfortable 8-wicket bonus point victory against the North West Dragons in Bloemfontein on Friday.
Baartman, changed the course of the Dragons innings with the dismissal of Wesley Marshall within the power play, and also provided the rest of the KwaZulu-Natal side’s bowlers with the example of where to bowl on a flat pitch at the Mangaung Oval.
The Dolphins, particularly Daryn Dupavillon and Kerwin Mungaroo, struggled with their lines, giving the two North West openers, Marshall and the elegant left-hander Eben Botha, too much room to free their arms. Marshall, made a characteristically muscular 18 off 14 balls, but it was Botha who impressed with his driving through the off-side.
The Dragons scored 63 runs in the power play, which should have been the perfect platform from which to launch an all out assault.
However they lost Shaylen Pillay, to Bryce Parsons’ part-time left arm spin, and then Botha to Prenelan Surbrayen within eight balls of each other to give the Dolphins some much needed momentum. Botha faced just 17 balls for his 41 hitting six fours and two sixes.
However after his dismissal, the advantage the Dolphins had gained was driven home by Baartmen.
Targeting the stumps and bowling with good pace, the Oudtshoorn-born seamer, ran through the Dragons’ middle order, clean bowling Jason Oakes and Heinrigh Pieterse, and then trapping Eldred Hawken lbw, to finish with figures of 4/20, which are also the best figures in the competition thus far.
Ottniel Baartman has just delivered the best bowling figures of the CSA Provincial #T20KO thus far with an incredible 4/20 in his four overs.🔥#BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/SGqnuYdkUP
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) October 8, 2021
Erwee and Thamsanqa Khumalo shared an opening stand of 47, with the tall left-hander the aggressor, smiting some mighty blows onto the grass embankment at the Mangaung Oval.
Once it was clear the Dolphins could no longer lose the match, he opened his shoulders hitting two sixes off leg-spinner Caleb Seleka in the 12th over, as the Dolphins sought a quick finish.
When he was dismissed for 68 off 50 balls (3x4, 5x6), Grant Roelofson took over, marshalling the rest of the run chase with an unbeaten 39, to ensure the Dolphins reached the target in the 16th over to earn the bonus point.
The second match in Pool C, sees the SA under-19 team tackle Easterns at 2.30pm.
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