Johannesburg, 30 September 2026
Scoring at more than 13 runs-per-over in the last five overs and then keeping the opposition to less than fifty in their final handful of overs is a winning recipe for T20 cricket and that’s exactly what our DP World Lions did in Durban last weekend as they beat the Hollywoodbets Dolphins by eight runs in their Pro20 Cup opener.
Electing to bat first at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead, #ThePrideOfJozi were given the perfect start by Zubayr Hamza and Reeza Hendricks, who brought up a century stand for the first wicket inside 10 overs. There are few better sights on a cricket field than Hamza in full flight and he was in great touch as he raced to 66 off just 38 balls, with six elegant fours, while also showing the growth in his power-hitting game as he collected four sixes.
Hendricks, also so easy on the eye, completed a 34-ball half-century, but the Dolphins then enjoyed a better period with the ball as they claimed three wickets for 31 runs to leave the DP World Lions on 133 for three after 15 overs.
Veteran Rassie van der Dussen was an important source of solidity, however, as he batted through to the end of the innings, scoring 31 not out off 24 balls.
He allowed Connor Esterhuizen to step up to the rostrum and produce a stunning display of calculated, precise hitting as he smashed 38 off just 13 deliveries. One of the brightest young stars in South African cricket hit three sixes and a four in the penultimate over, finishing with two fours and four sixes.
When Esterhuizen’s outstanding innings was ended in the final over by an Okuhle Cele off-stump yorker, Delano Potgieter delivered a four and six in the closing balls to take our DP World Lions to 202 for four in their 20 overs.
Dolphins openers Khaya Zondo and Bryce Parsons put on 51 for the first wicket in four-and-a-half overs, but they were both dismissed, by Lutho Sipamla and Wiaan Mulder respectively, before the end of the powerplay.
Grant Roelofsen looked dangerous before Potgieter fired a delivery into the blockhole and trapped him lbw for 25. Jason Smith took the Dolphins to 147 for three after 15 overs, needing 56 off 24 balls to win.
The Proteas batsman had scored 66 off 44 balls, leaving the Dolphins 15 short of victory with seven balls remaining, when Mulder returned to claim the vital wicket, Smith mishitting a lofted drive to long-off.
So the Dolphins needed 15 off the last over to win, with Sean Gilson well-set on 38 not out off 26 deliveries. But Codi Yusuf knows exactly what’s what when it comes to death bowling and he produced a superb yorker to bowl Gilson with the first ball of the over. Back-to-back wickets for #ThePrideOfJozi was a mega-blow for the Dolphins.
Yusuf then fired another delivery into the base of middle stump to bowl Gomolemo Phiri and settle the outcome, the Dolphins finishing on 194 for six.
Mulder was probably the pick of the bowlers with two for 31 in four overs, two of them bowled at the death. Yusuf finished with two for 38, but his brilliant final over is what will be remembered from his performance.
The DP World Lions’ next game is on Friday when they host the North-West Dragons.