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 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.

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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 gives Dolphins a huge boost

THE mere presence of legendary Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya in the Dolphins line-up is set to reinvigorate them for their opening MTN Domestic Championship match against the Highveld Lions in Potchefstroom today.

The Dolphins have recently completed a disappointing first half of the SuperSport Series, ending last on the table, and the 45-over format represents a fresh chance to get on the winning trail.

With 421 one-day internationals behind his name (12 875 runs and 310 wickets), the 39-year-old Jayasuriya should add a major thrust to the Dolphins squad and with the experienced HD Ackerman back from suspension and key all-rounder Johann Louw surplus to South Africa’s Test requirements, the Dolphins pose a danger to the home side.

Imraan Khan and skipper Ahmed Amla have shown good form with the bat and a winning start will be just the tonic the Dolphins need, although the KZN side’s bowling attack has been their Achilles heel this season.

Lions skipper Alviro Petersen carries a big responsibility at the top of the order and he will need strong support from the likes of Stephen Cook, Vaughn van Jaarsveld and the promising Jonathan Vandiar.

Neil McKenzie won’t feature in this televised match (SuperSport 2 and CSN from 4 pm) as he is serving a two-match ban for dissent.

A further incentive for the Dolphins is the inaugural edition of the Champions League Twenty20 to be played in Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai from December 3 to 10.

The Dolphins and Northern Titans qualified after fighting their way into the finals of the Standard Bank Pro20 series last season.

The Dolphins leave for India in two weeks’ time and their first round-robin encounter is against India’s Rajastan Royals on Wednesday, December 3.

But for the moment at least, the Dolphins must keep their eye on the ball tonight in Potchefstroom, as they need to savour the taste of victory before heading on the path to the biggest prizes in provincial cricket’s history.

TEAMS
Highveld Lions: Alviro Petersen (capt), Craig Alexander, Richard Cameron, Werner Coetsee, Stephen Cook, Cliffie Deacon, Christiaan Jonker, Garnett Kruger, Jean Symes, Jonathan Vandiar, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Dane Vilas.

KZN Dolphins: Ahmed Amla (capt), Imraan Khan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Grant Rowley, HD Ackerman, Jon Kent, Pierre de Bruyn, Daryn Smit, Johann Louw, Saidi Mlongo, Yusuf Abdullah, Quinton Friend.
TV: live of SuperSport 2 and CSN from 4 pm.

Master blaster Sanath Jayasuriya to lift KZN Dolphins

THE Dolphins, after slipping to last on the SuperSport Series log this past weekend following five forgettable draws in five outings, receive a timely boost today with the arrival in Durban of Sri Lankan master blaster, Sanath Jayasuriya. And the former Sri Lanka captain was immediately included in the KZN franchise’s side for their opening MTN 45-over match against the Highveld Lions in Potchefstroom on Friday. The 39-year-old Jayasuriya was honing his renowned big-hitting skills at the Hong Kong Sixes over the weekend and will need to play a key role in uplifting the intensity of the Dolphins’ game. He has played a world record 421 one-day internationals for Sri Lanka, scoring 12 785 runs in the process with 27 hundreds and 66 half centuries to his name. Only India’s “little genius” Sachin Tendulkar is in the running to break that record and could well do so once his country’s impending seven ODIs against England are over. Jayasuriya, however, has still not hung up his bat for his country’s one-day side, so his personal duel with Tendulkar is not over. A 1996 World Cup winner with Sri Lanka when they beat Australia in the final in Pakistan, Jayasuriya is also a useful left-arm spinner with 310 ODI wickets behind him, and his presence could well put paid to Morn´e van Vuuren’s chances of making the Dolphins’ limited-over side this season, as the man regarded as one of the best one-day players in history is also contracted for the Standard Bank Pro20 Series that follows the crowded MTN schedule in late January. SS SERIES STANDINGS (halfway stage): 1. Northern Titans 54,62 points; 2 Free State Eagles 49,92 pts; 3 East Cape Warriors 42,24 pts; 4 Highveld Lions 39,22 pts; 5 West Cape Cobras 29,52 pts; 6 KZN Dolphins 26,54 pts. KZN Dolphins: Ahmed Amla (capt), Imraan Khan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Grant Rowley, HD Ackerman, Jon Kent, Pierre de Bruyn, Daryn Smit, Johann Louw, Saidi Mlongo, Yusuf Abdullah, Quinton Friend. KZN Coastal - to meet Boland in Paarl: Darren Govender, Myren Pillay, David Miller, Martin Bekker, Sarel Erwee, Greg Fotheringham, Bradley Barnes, Keshav Maharaj, Vyash Gobind, Ugasen Govender, Emanuel Mkhize, Craig Woods.

Sanath Jayasuriya - New Dolphins signing heads for SA

Sri Lanka star Sanath Jayasuriya arrives in South Africa on Thursday, and will join up with the Dolphins squad for their opening MTN Domestic Championship match against the Lions at Senwes Park, in Potchefstroom, on Friday. Dolphins supporters will have their first opportunity to see Jayasuriya in action at Kingsmead next Wednesday, November 19, when the Durban-based franchise take on the Eagles. The domestic scene will be dominated by limited-overs cricket from now until the end of February, beginning with the 45-over format (November 14-January 16) and then the Standard Bank Pro20 competition (January 21-February 20), before the completion of the SuperSport Series. Meanwhile, a 12-man squad for the Lions match was announced yesterday afternoon. It is a powerful, well-balanced team with H D Ackerman returning from his three-match ban, while Johann Louw is back in the franchise fold after playing for the Proteas in the limited-overs series against Bangladesh. Despite a disappointing run of form in the SuperSport Series, big-hitting Grant Rowley keeps his place in the team for Friday's match. He has been preferred to David Miller, who will play for the Amateur team in the South African Airways Provincial Challenge matches against Boland in Paarl this weekend. The selectors have chosen four specialist pacemen in the squad - Louw, Yusuf Abdullah, Saidi Mlongo and Quinton Friend - with Jon Kent and Pierre de Bruyn providing back-up. The Dolphins will also have the option of using the left-arm spin of Jayasuriya and the right-arm wrist-spin of Daryn Smit. The Dolphins played a practice match at Kingsmead on Friday night. Bowling all-rounder Alfonso Thomas, who is contracted to the Dolphins for limited-overs cricket only this season, is getting married in England next week and will miss the first two matches. Dolphins (v Lions on Friday): Sanath Jayasuriya, Imraan Khan, H D Ackerman, Ahmed Amla (capt), Grant Rowley, Jon Kent, Pierre de Bruyn, Daryn Smit (w/k), Johann Louw, Quinton Friend, Saidi Mlongo, Yusuf Abdullah. KZN Amateur team (for 3- and 1-day matches v Boland on Nov 13-16): Darren Govender, Myren Pillay, David Miller, Martin Bekker (capt), Sarel Erwee, Greg Fotheringham, Bradley Barnes (w/k), Keshav Maharaj, Vyash Gobind, Ugasen Govender, Emannuel Mkhize, Craig Woods.