Cobras wary of Sanath | Semifinals - Standard Bank Pro20 Series

Both the Dolphins and the Cobras have been starved of a championship success in recent seasons and they’ll be desperate to change that course of events by starting off with a win in tonight’s Pro20 semifinal third leg in Durban.

The “hit and giggle” version of the game has lived up to its reputation as a lottery and the most recent results in Port Elizabeth and Durban have clearly underlined that notion.

The two semifinal legs of the Dolphins and Cobras match-ups have been won by decisive margins and perhaps the hugely unpredictable nature of Pro20 cricket could result in a far more evenly contested third leg as teams make one last push for a final berth and its massive financial offerings, given the advent of the Twenty20 Champions League, which gets under way in India, in September.

The must-win nature of the game is such that the Cobras will be backing themselves to beat the Dolphins as they have emerged victorious in very tight games this season.

Cobras coach Shukri Conrad feels his team thrives in the “pressure situations” and he’s confident there are any number of players in his ranks who can play a match-winning role.

If indeed the result is going to hinge on the role of one match-winning performance, most pundits would rather be looking at the Dolphins’ opening batsman, Sanath Jayasuriya.

He is arguably the world’s most combustible batsmen, even at the ripe old age of 39 years.

The Sri Lankan legend, who has broken more one-day batting records than any other cricketer, revolutionised one-day international cricket with his explosive batting at the 1996 Cricket World Cup.

He failed to score in the second leg in Durban and he’s too good to fail again and if he does produce a decisive knock today, he’ll be repaying the Dolphins his R1-million Pro20 appearance fee with a single innings.

Jayasuriya gave Pro20 fans a taste of his explosive batting when he posted 41 runs off 24 balls, including six boundaries, three of which cleared the ropes at Newlands, last Friday.

That contribution, as well as his two wickets courtesy of his left-arm spin, wasn’t seen in its full context because his team-mate, Yusuf Abdullah (3/13) ripped out the heart of the Cobras batting, even before their chase got under way. He claimed his first two wickets before the Cobras had even managed to score one run on home turf.

Even in defeat the Cobras drew one consolation from their Friday the 13th defeat and it was their most lethal batter, Herschelle Gibbs, would not fail again.

And how right they, the Cobras, were. The “Hurricane Herschelle” innings clubbed the Dolphins attack for 92 runs off 57 balls.

There must be a similar feeling in the Dolphins camp ahead of today’s clash since Jayasuriya failed with both bat and ball (nought and 0/29 off 3 overs) in the last outing.

Jayasuriya would no doubt have noted that the most telling all-rounder Pro20 contribution yet this season was recorded in Port Elizabeth on Monday night where the Warriors’ Robin Peterson returned 49 not out and 3/24 with bat and ball respectively.

‘Sunny’s’ side is up | Jayasuriya on fire as Dolphins win at Newlands

He's back: Jayasuriya on fire

THEY made it interesting, but in the end, the KZN Dolphins pulled off a critical first-leg victory in the semi-finals of the Pro20 Series at Newlands last night.

Defending 163, after a Sanath Jayasuriya blitz at the start of their innings, the Dolphins almost choked as a defiant Richard Levi toiled desperately to haul the star-studded Cobras from the doldrums.

And it was Jayasuriya himself who almost turned from hero to zero, as his third over, and the 18th of the innings, disappeared for 16 runs, leaving the Cobras needing a not so daunting 25 off 12 balls for the unlikeliest of wins.

Step up Johan Louw, who bowled a nerveless six balls, snaring the wicket of Claude Henderson with one of his leg-cutters, but also conceding a mere two runs.

Twenty-three off six balls was always going to be too much for the Cobras, and they eventually lost by 14 runs.

The night had started brilliantly for the Dolphins, as Ahmed Amla won the toss and the opening pair of Jayasuriya and silver fox HD Ackerman scorched their way to 75 without loss by the eighth over.

Jayasuriya, back from international duty, signalled his intentions by smashing Rory Kleinveldt for three successive sixes.

When he fell for 41, however, the innings began to stutter and stumble, before almost grinding to a halt.

Ackerman played sensibly for his 62, but what looked like a possible 200 became “only” 162.

The Cobras, with Graeme Smith, Herschelle Gibs and the mercurial JP Duminy in tow, looked set to cruise home.

But Yusuf Abdulla had other ideas. The swing merchant toppled Henry Davids leg-stump, before trapping Gibbs plumb in front with a beautiful inswinger.

At zero for two, the Cobras were in danger of folding dramatically. And when Abdulla had Duminy snaffled smartly by Daryn Smit, the game looked done.

Smith, from a Proteas perspective, looked in decent touch after a five-week layoff, but he holed out to Smit’s leg spin for 32.

It was all left to Levi and the tail, and they ensured the Newlands faithful stayed to the last with a spirited fightback.



But it was the Dolphins’ night, with Abdulla shining again with the ball. and “Sunny” Jayasuriya back with a bang.

They may yet seal their place in Friday’s final tomorrow, in the second leg at Kingsmead.

Scoreboard
Dolphins innings
HD Ackerman c Ontong b Kleinveldt 62
S Jayasuriya b Ontong 41
HM Amla c and b Henderson 2
G Rowley c Gibbs b Duminy 22
J Louw c Smith b Langeveldt 8
A Amla not out 17
J Kent not out 7
Extras (1lb, 2w) 3
Total (5 wickets in 20 overs) 162
Fall of wickets: 1-75, 2-82, 3-119, 4-136, 5-141
Bowling: Langeveldt 4-0-20-1, Henderson 4-0-21-1 (1w), Kleinveldt 4-0-49-1, Telemachus 4-0-43-0 (1w), Ontong 3-0-21-1, Duminy 1-0-7-1.
Cobras innings
H Davids b Abdulla 0
G Smith c Thomas b Smit 32
H Gibbs lbw b Abdulla 0
J Duminy c Smit b Abdulla 17
A Puttick run out 2
J Ontong b Jayasuriya 9
R Levi not out 48
R Kleinveldt b Jayasuriya 0
R Telemachus c & b Louw 11
C Henderson b Louw 15
C Langeveldt not out 6
Extras (1b, 2lb, 4w ) 7
Total (9 wickets in 20 overs) 148
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-0, 3-35, 4-46, 5-63, 6-64, 7-64, 8-95, 9-139
Bowling: Abdulla 4-0-13-3, Friend 4-0-35-0, Louw 4-0-21-2, Amla 1-0-8-0, Smit 3-0-22-1 (1w), Jayasuriya 3-0-32-2 (1w), Thomas 1-0-14-0 (1w).
Result: Dolphins won by 14 runs.
Master Blaster Bowler: Yusuf Abdulla
Master Blaster Batsman: HD Ackerman.

Jaysuriya's all-round performance sets the Dolphins up for win

Charl Langeveldt had started the innings by conceding only a single in the first over, but the KwaZulu-Natal side picked up the pace in the lucrative fourth over - the first by Kleinveldt - when they scored 23 runs.

The man responsible was Sri Lankan Jayasuriya (41 off 24 balls, three fours and three sixes).

Sixes driven to mid-off and mid-on were followed by a third flicked to square-leg, and a four hooked fine off the first four balls of the over.

With HD Ackerman keeping up a good tempo at the other end, the Dolphins were able to reach a handy 71/0 after seven overs.

Off-spinner Ontong's first ball broke the threatening 75-run first-wicket stand when Jayasuriya hit across the line and was bowled by a full ball, and it became two wickets in two overs when Claude Henderson held a return catch to send a hesitant looking Hashim Amla (two) back.
It was a horror performance for the Cobras, whose star-laden batting order failed to deliver, in pursuit of a target of 163. They finished on 148/9.

Abdullah bowled Henry Davids (0) off an inside edge off the second ball of the Cobras innings, and beat Herschelle Gibbs (0) with swing to trap him in front three deliveries later.

Left-arm spinner Sanath Jayasuriya bowled Justin Ontong (nine) and Rory Kleinveldt (0) with his first two balls of the evening, both of which kept straight.

That double-strike in the 11th over, left the Cobras on 64/7, and it was thanks to Levi's fight that the margin of defeat was made to look acceptable.

The Dolphins return home with their tails up for the second leg at Kingsmead on Sunday. The Cobras must win that clash to force a third leg, set for Durban on Wednesday.

Graeme Smith knows Dolphin danger Sanath Jayasuriya

If there is one player in the Cape Cobras team who knows the danger Dolphins opener Sanath Jayasuriya poses in Friday night's Pro20 first-leg semi-final at Newlands, then it's captain Graeme Smith.

Smith has spent years devising strategies on how to dismiss the Sri Lankan master blaster, but has also had first-hand experience of the carnage Jayasuriya can cause when he is in the mood.

The veteran left-hander was certainly in the mood four years ago at Taunton when he and Smith shared a 197-run first-wicket partnership for English county side Somerset against the then all-conquering Australians. Jayasuriya struck 101 off 79 balls and Smith 108 off 74 balls and the Aussies were humbled by four wickets.

"Geez, that was an amazing game," said Smith. "The Aussies got over 340 and we both got hundreds. Sanath obviously doesn't talk much between overs, so he was just standing on the one side and me on the other, and we were just flaying away.

"It was great to be able to just watch and enjoy and not having to worry about trying to get him out. He played some amazing shots that day. There's no doubt Sanath is a match-winner. If he gets off to a flyer, he just takes the pressure off all the remaining batsmen. He is also a more than useful bowler."

Jayasuriya only joined the Dolphins camp on Thursday, having represented Sri Lanka in a Twenty20 international against India as late as Wednesday. Smith, who had the entire week to familiarise himself with the Cobras' set-up, believes Jayasuriya's late arrival might just play into the Cobras' hands.

TEAMS FOR NEWLANDS:

Cobras: Graeme Smith (capt), Herschelle Gibbs, JP Duminy, Henry Davids, Justin Ontong, Richard Levi, Andrew Puttick (w/k), Roger Telemachus, Rory Kleinveldt, Claude Henderson, Charl Langeveldt.

Dolphins (from): Sanath Jayasuriya, Hashim Amla, HD Ackerman, Grant Rowley, Ahmed Amla (capt), Jon Kent, Pierre de Bruyn, Daryn Smit (w/k), Johann Louw, Alfonso Thomas, Quinton Friend, Yusuf Abdulla, Imraan Khan.

Dolphins keen to have Jayasuriya back

There were smiles for different reasons at the end of the Nashua Dolphins-Highveld Lions Standard Bank Pro20 Series game at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead on Sunday.

The first was obvious - the Dolphins had easily beaten the Lions by eight wickets and secured home semi-final advantage in the two-leg affair, while the second was for the fact that the local team had avoided being the No. 1 side on the final round robin league table.

That was the second reason for the huge smiles on the faces of the KwaZulu-Natal cricket officials.

"This means that we will play on Friday and not Wednesday. That suits us as Sanath Jayasuriya will be available for the first leg of the semi-final on Friday against the Nashua Cape Cobras," said Jay Naidoo.

"If we had finished on top of the table we would have missed the opportunity of having Sanath for the two-leg semis. He will arrive here on Wednesday morning and it would have been difficult pressing him into action soon after landing from a long flight from Sri Lanka."

The Dolphins will play the Nashua Cape Cobras on Friday at Sahara Park Newlands and their second leg game is scheduled for Sahara Stadium Kingsmead on Sunda, at 2.30pm.

Sanath Jayasuriya headed back to South Africa | Nashua Dolphins

Sanath Jayasuriya will return to South Africa this week to complete his stint with the Nashua Dolphins.

Jayasuriya will join the Dolphins at the end of the current India series.

Jayasuriya's first stint with the Dolphins was not a productive outing for the veteran - However, his 28th ODI century against India recently has boosted the dashing opener back into form.

The first leg will be played at Newlands on Friday and Sanath Jayasuriya will be back for the Dolphins to add weight to batting and bowling departments.

Jayasuriya was forced to leave for national duty as Sri Lanka re-organised their international calendar after a tour programme upheaval in the sub-continent, when India cancelled their Test and one-day international series tour of Pakistan.

The Sri Lankan opener was called by his national selectors for the one-day and Twenty20 games against Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. Jayasuriya will return to Durban tomorrow and will be included in the Dolphins' 13-man squad for Friday's first leg of the semi-final and the second leg at Kingsmead on Sunday, starting at 2pm.

With the Sri Lankan returning, a tough selection call will have to be made - Martin Bekker has to be left out for Jayasuriya in the final XI. Jon Kent or Pierre de Bruyn may feel aggrieved at being dropped for the crucial semi-final stage. But Kent's all-round ability as a batsman and bowler may count in his favour.

So South African's be ready for Run feast !! Sanath Jayasuriya in full form

Dolphins rue missed chances in semi

IT was a matter of close but no cigar for the Dolphins on Sunday in the MTN Domestic Championship semi-final in Bloemfontein, and they are left to rue what could have been this week.

Convenor of selectors Jay Naidoo told The Witness yesterday that there was a genuine sense of frustration among the team at missing out after getting so close.

“For sure we had our chances to win, but we just didn’t get that one top order batter who played through the innings for us,” Naidoo pointed out.

The trio of Ahmed Amla (37), HD Ackermann (27) and Jon Kent (39) all got in, but crucially failed to provide the base for a late assault on the 253-run target. “If you look at the Eagles, from 40-odd for three they got one big partnership and that made the difference,” Naidoo continued.

Loots Bosman (95) and skipper Boeta Dippenaar (71) rescued a stumbling home innings with a pivotal 125-run stand for the fourth wicket. “Loots is obviously an attacking player, and he rode his luck a bit,” Naidoo said. “If one of our batters who got in had batted on, it would have certainly made things much easier for the likes of Daryn [Smit] at the end of the innings.”

The Dolphins still fancied their chances at the halfway stage, despite a 44th over assault by Dillon du Preez, which harvested 19 runs. “That over did hurt us a bit, but if you had offered us 250 to chase on that deck before the start, we would have backed ourselves to get it,” he said.

Naidoo said the loss of limited-overs maestro Sanath Jayasuriya was keenly felt, and said the side was looking forward to “Sunny’s” return from the tri-series in Dhaka.

“His experience with the ball in the latter stages would have been vital, and obviously we all know what he can do with the bat,” Naidoo said.

The Dolphins now have a decent break to reflect on what could have been before the start of the Standard Bank Pro20 series next Friday. “We have a tough start [away games to MTN finalists the Eagles and the Titans], but if we can steal one win out of those two it will stand us in good stead to make the semis,” an upbeat Naidoo said.

He also revealed that Jayasuriya will be back in time for the second clash of that tournament, against the Titans on January 25.

A Jayasuriya blitz just before he departs KZN may yet prove to be just what the doctor ordered for Amla and his troops.

The Pro20 series offers the Dolphins one final chance of silverware in a season where they have steadily improved without ever really dominating proceedings.

Dolphins looking to cause an upset in Bloem despite Jayasuriya's absence

The Nashua Dolphins go into their MTN Domestic Championship semifinal against the Gestetner Diamond Eagles at the Outsurance Oval in Bloemfontein on Sunday confident of causing an upset against the side that finished at the top of the log.

After qualifying by finishing fourth on the log, the Dolphins tackle the more fancied Eagles who finished 13 points ahead of them after the round-robin stages, without the services of Sanath Jayasuriya, who has been recalled to the Sri Lankan team for a tri-series in Dhaka and Johann Louw, who pulled a hamstring two weeks ago.

"Johann will only be available again if we reach the final. Sanath is on international duty for Sri Lanka and is highly unlikely to make the final," said Yashin Ebrahim, the Dolphins coach.

Despite these setbacks, the Dolphins are quietly confident of beating the Eagles with the squad they have. They have also introduced 21-year-old Cameron Delport to the team as a replacement for Jayasuriya. The former Westville Old Boy is a hard-hitting left-handed batsman who made his senior debut against the Warriors in Port Elizabeth last week.

"Both the experienced players will be missed. However, we have enough experience and depth in the team to compete. The boys are confident, focused and positive ahead of the big game. Barring any last-minute injuries, Cameron will open with Imraan Khan. I think he is good enough to perform at this level and gives us an extra option as a medium-pace bowler as well," Ebrahim said.

The Dolphins were well-beaten in their two pool matches against the Eagles, losing by five wickets with 11 overs to spare in Durban and by six wickets with an over to spare in Kimberley, but this does not concern Ebrahim.

"Losing both the league games to the Eagles counts for nothing. This is a one-off and anything can happen," he said.

The winner of Sunday's semifinal will play the Nashua Titans, who thrashed the Western Cape Cobras by nine wickets on Friday night.

Odds against Dolphins win after Sanath leaves for Dhaka

THE KZN Dolphins will meet the table-topping Diamond Eagles in the second semi-final of the MTN Domestic Championships tomorrow.

The winner will go through to Friday’s final against the winners of last night’s encounter at SuperSport Centurion, which saw the star studded Titans entertaining the Cobras.

That the Dolphins have regrouped in time to get into the semis is no small feat, in a season that was descending into mediocrity.

The form of Imraan Khan at the top of the order has been one of the few consistencies of a season that may yet be re-ignited by a winning end to the 45 over competition.

Khan has outshone even the mercurial Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya, who is currently in Dhaka.

The other significant plus for the KZN franchise has been captain Ahmed Amla’s steady form with the bat. He and Khan hold the key for a Dolphins line-up, which has considerably deep batting, with talented all-rounder Morne van Vuuren having batted as low as nine.

What the Dolphins have to improve on mostly is their bowling, particularly in the powerplays. This is perhaps where Jayasuriya’s golden arm will be sorely missed, as his wily darters worked well at the death of several innings.

The Dolphins have suffered severely in this regard, with the visit to Potchefstroom to face the Lions earlier this season a brutal example.

Jean Symes churned out a classy 146 while Vaughn van Jaarsveld bludgeoned a 56- ball century.

With the experienced Johann Louw also missing, the likes of Yusuf Abdullah, Jon Kent and Ugasen Govender will be under pressure to foil a formidable Eagles batting card, which includes the hard-hitting Loots Bosman, Morne van Wyk and the vastly improved Dean Elgar.

The Eagles spin duo of Con de Lange and Thandi Tshabalala will also pose a threat, and the form of stalwart HD Ackermann in the middle overs will be crucial.

The Eagles have already beaten Amla’s men twice this season, the first a five-wicket cruise at Kingsmead.

All in all, with home-ground advantage, a better team on paper and two victories over their opponents this season, the odds are heavily stacked towards an Eagles triumph.

But as Dolphins convenor of selectors Jay Naidoo explained this week, form counts for very little when it comes to the business end of a knockout tournament.

Dolphins left with opener dilemma after Sanath Jayasuriya bids farewell

The Nashua Dolphins have at least improved on their record in the MTN Domestic Championship last season, edging up from fifth to fourth and securing the last semi-final place.

After a poor start to the competition, in which they lost their first three matches, the Dolphins improved to such an extent that they won four out of five matches completed, with two abandoned because of rain.

With Sanath Jayasuriya yesterday failing in his bid to stay on for Sunday's semi-final against the Eagles, the main problem the Dolphins have is finding an opener to take his place.

The selectors, who meet tomorrow to finalise the squad to travel to Bloemfontein, will probably have to choose between Grant Rowley and Cameron Delport.

Experienced Rowley, despite a disappointing season to date, must surely be favoured to get the nod over 19-year-old Delport, who made his senior team debut in the Dolphins' three-wicket victory over the Warriors on Sunday.

Coach Yashin Ebrahim was delighted with the Dolphins' last-ball win over the Warriors on a slow St George's Park pitch, with Jon Kent made man of the match for a superb innings of 86, which included 10 fours in 119 balls. He shared a key fourth-wicket partnership of 109 with H D Ackerman (46), and that, added to a late cameo from Daryn Smit (26), enabled the Dolphins to squeeze home by three wickets on the last ball.

"Kentie played out of his socks, and H D's experience was also very important," said Ebrahim soon after the team returned to Durban yesterday. The Dolphins had already secured their semi-final place on Friday night, but it was important to go into the semi-final with winning momentum.

The rain-out on Friday was the second consecutive match lost to inclement weather in Durban. Next season, Cricket South Africa should consider awarding more day fixtures for the Dolphins in Durban, since the rain generally comes at night.

The Dolphins will have a well-earned rest today, with the build-up to Sunday's semi-final starting in the nets tomorrow.

Dolphins slither into semis : courtesy Sanath Jayasuriya

A night of frustration at a wet Kingsmead eventually finished happily for the Dolphins when they qualified for the MTN Domestic Championship semifinal courtesy of a tight five-wicket victory for the Cobras over the Warriors at Newlands

The Dolphins, who earned two points from last night's rained-out match against the Titans, now cannot be overtaken by the fifth-placed Warriors, who are six points behind with just Sunday's match between the two sides to be played in Port Elizabeth.

Even if the Warriors win with a bonus point, they will still finish a point behind the Dolphins who will now play the table-topping Eagles in the first semi on Friday next week.

On a night when play was interrupted three times by rain, the patient crowd of about 2 000 at last had the pleasure of seeing Sanath Jayasuriya at his best.

The 39-year-old Sri Lankan star has kept his powder dry this season, scoring only 71 runs in eight innings at an average of 8.87 before last night. But the force was finally with the destructive left-hander under lights when he smashed 58 in just 36 balls, including nine fours and two sixes.

Titans opening bowler, Basheeru-Deen Walters, will reflect ruefully on his three-over spell at the start of the Dolphins innings when he was brutally taken apart by the left-hander.

His first over went for 17, including a trademark square cut for six into the old West stand, while his third also went for 17

Some of Jayasuriya's boundaries were hit with all the tremendous power he exercised when he was in his pomp, particularly square of the wicket.

It was all too good to last, of course, and he eventually fell to left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe who achieved the remarkable feat of bowling five consecutive dot balls to him in the 11th over of the innings when the Dolphins had raced to 87.

The Sri Lankan, frustrated by the spinner's canny bowling, smashed the sixth delivery straight back to him and the jubilant Van der Merwe could hardly avoid the missile that buried itself in his hands.

Facing a rain-recalculated Titans' total of 172 in 33 overs, the Dolphins were still ahead of the run-rate when they reached 97-4 in 16.2 overs, despite Van der Merwe putting the brakes on the innings after Jayasuriya's departure.

But then the rain, which had already paid the ground two visits, returned with a vengeance and the match was abandoned 22 balls before it could be declared a legitimate game.

Dolphins & Titans game ends in no result despite mind-numbing assault by Sanath Jayasuriya

The MTN Domestic Championship match between the Nashua Dolphins and the Easterns Titans finished in no result, despite a mind-numbing assault by Sanath Jayasuriya, due to rain at Kingsmead on Friday.

The Dolphins were chasing a Duckworth/Lewis revised target of 172 in 33 overs and had reached 97 for four in the 17th over when rain returned for the third time in the match.

Jayasuriya had been impossible to bowl at in the early stages of his innings as he slammed 58 off 36 balls, but Roelof van der Merwe dismissed him in his first over, and the left-arm spinner and captain Pierre Joubert managed to lower the Dolphins run-rate from more than nine an over to 5.93 at the interruption.

Kingsmead has not been a happy hunting ground for the left-hander in the past, but on Friday night it was his lair as he tore into the bowling with tigerish ferocity. Jayasuriya lashed nine fours and two sixes and certainly put a smile back on the dials of the KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union administrators who signed him.

But as he has so frequently done in the past, it was Van der Merwe (3.2-2-2-1) who turned the tide the Titans' way when he bowled Jayasuriya five dot balls in his first over and then clung on to a fierce drive off the last delivery.

And with Joubert (5-0-21-2) darting the ball both ways off the pitch at the other end, the Dolphins batsmen did not know whether to continue in Jayasuriya's attacking vein or rebuild.

Joubert accounted for both Ahmed Amla, brilliantly caught off a slower ball by Blake Snijman for 10, and HD Ackerman, trapped leg-before for two.

The Titans had also struggled against an impressive spell of spin bowling by Jayasuriya to score just 153 for five in their 33 overs.

The Titans, who were sent in to bat, suffered two rain breaks during their innings and were never able to score at any great speed.

The umpires first called the players off the field after 27 overs with the Titans on 114 for five. They returned for 10 minutes and 3.2 overs before another rain delay further reduced the match from 43 to 33 overs a side.

Faf du Plessis had looked well set in compiling 27 not out before the 78-minute second rain delay meant the Titans returned with just 16 deliveries left in their innings.

Du Plessis added 20 more runs to his tally in the limited time available to him to ensure the Dolphins would still need to chase a challenging Duckworth/Lewis revised target.

Jayasuriya took two for 26 in eight overs and his team-mates were hoping the Kingsmead crowd would finally see some fireworks from the Sri Lankan great's bat as well.

Before the rain delays, youngsters Van der Merwe and Pieter Malan had shared a third-wicket stand of 42 off 46 balls, but both would sell their wickets too cheaply when well set.

Titans openers Gulam Bodi and Snijman took a while to get into gear against fiery new-ball bowling from Quinton Friend and Yusuf Abdullah.

Bodi, stumbling and falling in going for a single, was run out for 13 and Snijman (12) then edged Ugasen Govender to gully.

Van der Merwe gave the Dolphins a scare when he drove fast bowler Govender straight back over his head for six, but the wily Jayasuriya killed off a promising innings of 30 off 32 balls when he bowled the batsman, Van der Merwe backing away and trying to cut a faster delivery.

Jon Kent picked up the wicket of Malan for 34, the batsman hooking straight to deep square-leg and leaving the field obviously frustrated at not having made better use of a start.

Farhaan Behardien (0) was then totally deceived by the flight of a Jayasuriya delivery and went back to a quicker ball that comprehensively bowled him, the wicket being greeted by the first onset of the rain.

--> Full Scorecard

Disappointing performance for Dolphins | Sanath Jayasuriya in SA

There are now only two matches remaining in the competition for Sri Lankan import Sanath Jayasuriya to impress.

On Friday he failed again, edging Charl Langeveldt to be caught behind for two. So far he has scored 71 runs at an average of 8.87 with a highest score of 34, a disappointing tally when so much was expected of him.

"It can happen to anyone," Amla said.

"The guys are all very supportive, but so far he just hasn't been able to get going. He's probably working harder than anyone and he's hitting the ball well in the nets, but it's just not happening in the middle.

"On the plus side, he's playing a big role for us with the ball."

Amla said it was possible that Jayasuriya would be moved down the order for his final two matches before he joins the Sri Lankan squad for their ODI series against Bangladesh.

"He won't be available for the semis anyway, so maybe now's the time to give someone a chance in his spot," Amla said.

Jayasuriya shines with the ball | Dolphins beat Warriors by 9 runs

Sanath Jayasuriya proved his value - with the ball - as he led the Nashua Dolphins to a nine-run victory over the Chevrolet Warriors in their MTN Domestic Championship match at Kingsmead on Friday.

Jayasuriya took three for 39 in his nine overs to limit the Warriors to 241 for nine and lift the Dolphins into fifth place on the log.

Captain Davey Jacobs hammered 73 off 71 balls to take the Warriors close as they chased 251 for victory, but the visitors were always going to pay for the lack of a substantial innings from their top order.

One of the basic rules of successful limited-overs cricket is that one of the top five should bat through the innings, but Michael Smith (54), Jon-Jon Smuts (24), Arno Jacobs (25) and Zander de Bruyn (20) all made starts but failed to press on.

The Dolphins made the match more dramatic than needed to be by dropping a couple of catches in the closing overs, but Yusuf Abdullah then bowled a crucial penultimate over that cost just six runs.

Jayasuriya was called into service to bowl the 43rd and 45th overs, and, if he hadn't have bowled Davey Jacobs with the fourth ball of the final over, the outcome may have been different.

All-rounder Jon Kent once again made a telling impact, conceding just 22 runs in his five overs and having Smith caught behind.

A day/night campaign that was rapidly going down the toilet for the Dolphins has now been revived thanks in the main to a top-class partnership between Imraan Khan and Ahmed Amla.

The pair added 155 for the second wicket to provide the foundation of the Dolphins total of 250 for seven.

After Jayasuriya (13) had committed the sin of following three fours in four balls by being caught at third man off Juan Theron, Khan and Amla made batting look easy as they lifted the Dolphins to 171 for one in the 33rd over.

The captain and the in-form opener ensured they took few risks early on and it needed the introduction of a bowler who has bowled just two overs in the competition this season to finally send Amla packing.

The skipper tried to belt slow left-armer Smuts out the ground but holed out to Smith on the midwicket boundary.

Amla had nevertheless caned five fours and a six in a punishing 64 off 86 balls.

Khan is the most successful opener in the competition so far in this campaign and he produced another top-class innings of 86 off 118 balls before being bowled by talented left-arm paceman Wayne Parnell.

Useful run-a-ball contributions from Kent (27) and Pierre de Bruyn (21) then ensured the Dolphins' run-rate stayed above 5.5 runs an over.

De Bruyn fell off the last ball of the innings when he hooked Parnell high and handsome to the midwicket boundary, but Lyall Meyer produced an exceptionally well-judged leap and when he returned to the turf he had claimed a superb catch.

Parnell finished with four for 56, while De Bruyn's nine overs for 33 runs was a top-class effort.

Smuts finished with one for 31 in six overs, while Theron, Meyer and Parnell would all go for more than six runs an over.

If the Dolphins had managed to restrict the Warriors to 200 or less, they would have earned a bonus point that would have taken them to 10 log points and pushed them into fourth place ahead of the Eastern Cape team.

Full Scoring

Teams

Nashua Dolphins - Imraan Khan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Ahmed Amla, HD Ackerman, Jon Kent, Daryn Smit, Pierre de Bruyn, Johann Louw, Quinton Friend, Yusuf Abdullah, Ugasen Govender.

Chevrolet Warriors - Michael Smith, Jon-Jon Smuts, Athenkosi Dyili, Arno Jacobs, Zander de Bruyn, Davey Jacobs, Johan Botha, Craig Thyssen, Wayne Parnell, Lyall Meyer, Juan Theron.

Sanath Jayasuriya Autograph & Pics | By Africo

As Promised before, My friend africo from South Africa did manage to get me lots of Pics and the most precious one Autograph from Sanath Jayasuriya !!

MTN Domestic Championship

Match : Dolphins Vs Cobras

Venue : Newlands, Cape Town , South Africa

Date : 14 December 2008 (45-over match)

Result : Dolphins won by 53 runs

As said by africo :
------------------------

Guys,

Here they are! Plenty of pics of Sanath Jayasuriya at Newlands on Sunday!

There is both good news and bad news:

The good news is... I did manage to get Sanath's autograph..

AND if u can't read it, it says:

"To Hilal + Sujan , Sanath Jayasuriya"

Sujan = sanath189.. thought you'd like it to be to u (so u can show your mates)


The bad news is that our seats were far away from Sanath - he fielded at mid-off virtually the whole game - so i had to zoom in and my camera is crappy. And we arrived a little bit late and couldn't get pics of Sanath batting as the Dolphins batted first and he didn't last too long. But still got pics of him bowling!

I waited almost an hour after the game by the Pavillion to get some close-up pics of Sanath but my battery had died - i went erratic taking pics of the Newands ground and sunset and wierd security guards.. don't ask..














For more on this :

http://www.slcricket.com/index.php?topic=21583.0

CHEERS africo !!!!

- Sujan Rao (sanath189) :)

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Dolphins confident of making semis | MTN Chmapionship

Sanath Jayasuriya will be hoping to lead the Nashua Dolphins to their first win in the MTN Domestic Championship this weekend.

The Sri Lankan star, who has failed to reach double figures (six, one, zero) so far this season, will be looking to end his run of poor form with an impressive display against the Nashua Cape Cobras on Sunday as the Dolphins return to action after an eighteen-day break, due to the postponement of the inaugural Champions League Twenty20.

"He's worked hard and is looking good in the nets. He has also just returned from a break to Sri Lanka and has been training there as well. Look, we know the type of player he is and I'm quite sure he will bounce back. Three of our next four games are day games so that will help him as well," Jay Naidoo, Manager of Playing Affairs at the Dolphins told SuperCricket.

After losing their opening three games, the Dolphins find themselves in sixth spot on the log and will need to get back to winning ways if they intend making the semifinals.

"We are still quite confident of making the semis. If you look at the log, one win will bring us level with the Warriors and the Lions.

"Only the Lions have beaten us comprehensively so far this season. The other games against the Eagles and Titans were close and could have gone our way. The players know what they need to do and I'm sure they will turn the corner," he added.

A squad of 12 have been named for the next two MTN Domestic Championship matches.

They play the Nashua Cape Cobras at Sahara Park Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday and then travel to Kimberley to take on the Gestetner Diamond Eagles at the De Beers Diamond Oval on Tuesday.

Dolphins squad:

Ahmed Amla (Captain), Imraan Khan, HD Ackerman, Sanath Jayasuriya, Jon Kent, David Miller, Johann Louw, Daryn Smit, Alfonso Thomas, Yusuf Abdulla, Quinton Friend, Pierre de Bruyn

Dolphins searching for that elusive win | Jayasuriya in South Africa

The battered and bruised Nashua Dolphins, without a win in all competitions this season, will be up against it when they kick-start their season again on Sunday.

Having had their programme disrupted by the bombings in Mumbai two weeks ago - they were due to play in the lucrative Champions League Twenty20 over a 10-day period - the Dolphins get down to business with a game against the Cobras at Sahara Park Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday.

Two days later they have another struggle on their hands when they travel to the De Beers Diamond Oval in Kimberley to meet the Eagles.

"Both are tough games," said Jay Naidoo, convener of the Dolphins selection committee. "We are in a desperate situation and need to start winning, or we could be left at the bottom end of the table. In order to do that we need to get our batting and bowling working in tandem."

However what Naidoo failed to mention was that the Dolphins skipper, Ahmed Amla needs to look at different tactics when approaching matches in the season's competitions.

Naidoo said: "It's been a tough season - but no excuses. We have not had the best players on the field for us all at once. Now that we seem to have all players available plus a break due to the postponement of the Champions League, I believe the cobwebs have been blown away and there should be a big improvement."

Sanath Jayasuriya is the man the Dolphins are looking to get fired-up. He has yet to get to double figures in the three matches he has played. If he kick-starts the ailing Dolphins top order, it could be a different scenario.

The selectors have announced a 12-man squad, which includes Alfonso Thomas.

David Miller, who played against the Nashua Titans two weeks ago, retains his place ahead of Grant Rowley, who has been axed.

Squad: Ahmed Amla (capt), Imraan Khan, HD Ackerman, Sanath Jayasuriya, Jon Kent, David Miller, Johann Louw, Daryn Smit, Alfonso Thomas, Yusuf Abdulla, Quinton Friend, Pierre de Bruyn

Sanath Jayasuriya’s call-up by Sri Lanka minimal loss to Dolphins

Top Dolphins signing Sanath Jayasuriya’s call-up to Sri Lanka’s national one-day side for the series with home side Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in January means he will only miss the semi-finals and final of the MTN one-day series in the unlikely event of the struggling KZN side advancing to the play-offs.

The Dolphins manager of playing affairs, Jay Naidoo, told Weekend Witness yesterday that Jayasuriya (39) is currently back in Sri Lanka, but he will return to Durban next week.

Naidoo said Dolphins coach Yashin Ebrahim had spoken to the agent of the highly experienced Sri Lankan and it was confirmed that Jayasuriya will be available for the seven remaining preliminary matches and the entire Pro20 Series that follows.

“A clause was included in Jayasuriya’s contract with the Dolphins that should he miss matches, barring because of injury, it would affect his remuneration,” said Naidoo.

Jayasuriya, who is still contracted to Sri Lanka cricket, was given permission by his board to join the Dolphins for the limited-over section of their season on condition that any selection for his national team during that period would be honoured.

The hard-hitting batsman and spinner has 421 ODI appearances behind him, but he has misfired with bat and ball in the three Dolphins matches so far. Naidoo, who is also convenor of the selection panel, is convinced that the player’s class will prevail.

Naidoo said Jayasuriya was signed on a contract befitting his status but his total package — paid in U.S. dollars — “is well below the exaggerated sums mentioned in certain sections of the media”.

“Sanath has yet to come good, but he is a complete professional and has had a positive influence on the squad,” said Naidoo.

The Dolphins, yet to win a game in seven outings this season, and bottom of both the four-day and 45-over logs, play four MTN matches in eight days, beginning against the Cape Cobras in Cape Town next Sunday and ending against the Lions at the PMB Oval on Sunday, December 21.

“If we win those matches, that takes us through to the semis,” said an optimistic Naidoo.

Cricketing legend ready to hit Durban curries for a six | Jayasuriya in South Africa

Sri Lankan cricketing legend Sanath Jayasuriya, who recently joined the Nashua Dolphins as an opening batsman, is looking forward to sampling Durban’s famous bunny chow.

The 39-year-old left-hander , who is contracted to play for the Dolphins until February next year, said he had not yet had time to explore the city but was eager to tuck into the local cuisine.

Jayasuriya, rated among the world’s top batsmen, said he was confident that he could handle Durban’s spicy curries.

“I eat spicy food at home, so I’m sure I can handle the curry here,” he said.

He compared Durban to his home town of Colombo, saying the two cities were similar.

“Both cities are situated on the coastline, the climate is very similar and the people are very friendly.”

He will soon be joined by his wife and three children.

“It is difficult for them to join me now, but as soon as the school term is over, they will come.”

He said that after the Dolphins’ defeat by the Eagles and the Highveld Lions, they planned to up their game against the Titans on Wednesday.

He will not be part of the Dolphins’ Champions League squad for the forthcoming fixtures in India because of his contract with the Indian Premier League’s Mumbai Indians.

The Dolphins will be leaving for Bangalore next month to take part in the Champions League T20 with the Free State Eagles. They will play against the finalists from the Indian Premier League and Australia.

Jayasuriya joined Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar at the crease as teammates of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. “That was a very good experience for me. It was the match against the Chennai Super Kings, and I had the opportunity to bat with one of the best batsmen of our time. We batted well and scored runs. It was a good game.”

The Times : Nov 23, 2008

Sanath Jayasuriya Arrives in South Africa | Nashua Dolphins

Friday, 14 November 2008

Sanath Jayasuriya landed on South African soil yesterday 13 November at OR Thambo Airport to a hearty welcome by the Nashua Dolphin team and management.

He was immediately whisked away to his first match for the Dolphins in the MTN Domestic Championship game in Potchefstroom against the bizhub Highveld Lions taking place today.

Happy to be finally be here, and looking forward to playing on South African soil, Sanath seemed relaxed and ready for an intense season of cricket with the Nashua Dolphins.