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THE Sunfoil Dolphins ended an eight-year wait for silverware on Sunday as they beat the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras in a see-saw encounter to clinch the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge in front of a full house at Sahara Park Newlands.
The Dolphins had not won a franchise competition since current coach Lance Klusener captained them to the four-day title in 2005/2006, and a tearful Daryn Smit was the embodiment of the emotions that flowed in the aftermath.
Although it was captain Morne van Wyk’s innings which provided the framework for the two-run win, ultimately Robbie Frylinck was the hero for defending 14 in the final over.
The capacity crowd was given their money’s worth as the game went down to the last ball, which Justin Kemp needed to hit for six to take the game into a Super Over.
Kemp’s strike landed a yard short of the midwicket boundary, sparking wild celebrations among the Dolphins players as they became the first team to beat the Cobras in a Final at Newlands.
Van Wyk’s 47 had guided the Dolphins to a solid platform after they had won the toss and opted to bat first, but the Cobras hauled things back in the final three overs as Jacques Kallis and Beuran Hendricks conceded just 19 runs and Kallis picked up three wickets to finish with figures of 4 for 26 from three overs.
A total of 146 for eight looked close to par during the innings break, and then looked a lot better when the Cobras slumped to 20 for four in the sixth over of their reply, with Richard Levi and Kallis among the wickets to fall.
However, Stiaan van Zyl (46) and Sybrand Engelbrecht (56 from 39 balls) combined in a 91-run stand for the fifth wicket to take the game into the final stages with things all square.
The turning point saw Frylinck run out Van Zyl with a direct hit, after which Engelbrecht was caught at mid-off from the bowling of Kyle Abbott (2 for 17 from four overs).
That left all the responsibility with Kemp, but even his 21 not out from 12 balls was not enough to take the Cobras to a second trophy this season.
