Lesiba Ngoepe struck a sizzling 88 in 68 balls, his 11th List A half-century, to help the North West Dragons to a challenging 272 for eight in their CSA One-Day Cup match against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins at Kingsmead on Saturday.
Ngoepe and Ruan de Swardt (48) lifted the innings out of the doldrums after they came together on 125 for five in the 31st over. The pair quickly settled in and added 127 for the sixth wicket to give the innings the kind of momentum that the visitors required. Ngoepe deserved a century, but 12 short of what would have been only his second List A ton, he scooped paceman Zedan Mahomed to Bayanda Majola at short third man. The left-hander hammered 11 fours and two sixes in his outstanding knock.
The Dolphins looked in control for the first half of the Dragons’ innings with some excellent bowling from paceman Tristan Luus and spinner Jon-Jon Smuts. Luus, who is often a little lacking in discipline despite his pace, started particularly well, having opener Meeka-eel Prince nicely caught at slip by Slade van Staden. His dismissal left the Dragons on 35 for two after Ludwich Schuld chanced his arm once too often, thick-edging a flamboyant drive off Majola to Mahomed at third man.
Wihan Lubbe and Janneman Malan added 45 before Lubbe was deceived through the air by Smuts, bunting a soft return catch to the bowler. Skipper Dom Hendricks was just getting going when he received an excellent delivery from Majola that rose sharply off a length with the little left-hander gloving it to wicketkeeper Hanu Viljoen.
The most spectacular dismissal came next, when Malan, who had played well for his 45 in 67 balls, drove Majola hard to Ackerman at a deepish mid-off and set off for a run. Ackerman pounced, picking up the ball cleanly and zeroing a rocket throw that shattered the stumps at the bowler’s end with Malan a couple of centimetres short of his ground.
That was the end of the good news for the Dolphins, however, as Ngoepe and De Swardt settled to their work with the former leading the way while De Swardt played himself in.
For the Dolphins, Smuts was impressive, taking 1/34 in 10 overs, with Imran Tahir having a poor day, failing to hit his areas and being punished for 79 in his 10 overs. Luus was impressive (2/43 in 10 despite a loose final over) while Majola was the main wicket-taker, claiming 3/61.
Ackerman was a whippet in the field. Apart from his brilliant run-out, he also completed a fine diving catch to get rid of Onke Nyaku. It was also good to see Viljoen back from injury and giving a tidy performance with the gloves.
HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS: Tshepang Dithole, Jon-Jon Smuts, Slade van Staden, Marques Acker(capt), Hanu Viljoen, Romashan Pillay, Gomolemo Phiri (wk), Tristan Luus, Imran Tahir, Zedan Mahomed, Bayanda Majola
NORTH WEST DRAGONS: Janneman Malan, Dominic Hendricks, Wihan Lubbe (capt), Lesiba Ngoepe, Ruan de Swardt, Meeka-eel Prince (wk), Ludwich Schuld, Migael Pretorius, Caleb Seleka, Onke Nyaku, Alfred Mothoa