Dolphins (South African cricket team)

Last updated

Hollywoodbets Dolphins
Hollywood Bets Dolphins logo.svg
Personnel
Captain Keshav Maharaj
Coach Imraan Khan
Team information
Colours  Black   Green
Founded2003;22 years ago (2003)
Home ground Kingsmead Cricket Ground, Durban
Capacity25,000
Official website http://www.dolphinscricket.co.za
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First-class

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ODI/T20 Away

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ODI/T20 Home

The Dolphins (known as the Hollywood Dolphins for sponsorship reasons) are a cricket team representing the KwaZulu-Natal (Coastal) province in South Africa. They take part in the CSA 4-Day Series first-class competition, the Momentum One-Day Cup and the Mzansi Super League T20 competition. The team's home venues are Kingsmead Cricket Ground, Durban and the City Oval in Pietermaritzburg.

Contents

History

The Dolphins were originally created as an entirely professional franchise team after the South African domestic format was restructured in 2004-05. Up until then eleven provincial teams, with various small changes, had competed in the Currie Cup since 1893-94.

Natal (as the province was then called) was one of the most successful teams in the 20th century provincial era with twenty title wins. In 1998-99, Natal became KwaZulu-Natal to reflect the political changes that were taking place in the country. The team won one more final title in 2001-02.

In 2004-05, the eleven provincial teams were rationalised into six new, entirely professional franchises, in all three formats. The Dolphins were the only squad that did not merge several other provincial teams to form the new side. In the Franchise-era, the Dolphins won only one outright title, with two others being shared wins.

In 2020, domestic cricket in South Africa was restructured and the six former franchise teams were dropped. In its place was a return to the more traditional two-division league format, with a total of fifteen professional teams competing due to the previously semi-professional provincial cricket being subsumed (effectively becoming Division 2).

The former name of KwaZulu-Natal (Coastal) could have returned during this time (KwaZulu-Natal (Inland) was granted first class provincial status in 2009), however the KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union decided to maintain the brand recognition from the franchise era, with the new team continuing to be called the Dolphins.

Playing kit

The Dolphins home kit consists of black shirts and black trousers with green trim during limited overs competitions. The away strip for limited overs competitions is purple shirts and purple trousers with yellow trim.

Sponsors

Hollywoodbets are the Dolphins' primary shirt sponsors until the end of the 2019/20 season, [1] with local radio station East Coast Radio (ECR 94.5FM) their associate sponsor.

Honours

The Dolphins finished as runners-up in the 2017/18 Ram Slam T20 Challenge, after losing to the Multiply Titans in the final at Centurion. [2]

The Dolphins reached the final of the 2017/18 Momentum One Day Cup after beating the Cape Cobras in the semi-final. The Dolphins played the Warriors in the final at Kingsmead, however the match was abandoned halfway through the Dolphins first innings due to persistent rain. The rain continued on the reserve day forcing the final to be abandoned, and the trophy was shared between the two teams. [3]

Squad

NameBirth dateBatting styleBowling styleNotes
Batsmen
Marques Ackerman 1 March 1996 (age 29)Left-handedRight arm off break First-class Captain
Khaya Zondo 7 March 1990 (age 35)Right-handedRight arm off break
Sarel Erwee 10 November 1989 (age 35)Left-handedRight arm off break
Thamsanqa Khumalo 23 September 1999 (age 25)Left-handedRight arm off break
David Miller 10 June 1989 (age 36)Left-handedRight arm off break
All-Rounders
Jason Smith 11 October 1994 (age 30)Right-handedRight-arm medium-fast
Bryce Parsons 13 February 2001 (age 24)Left-handed Slow left-arm orthodox
Andile Phehlukwayo 3 March 1996 (age 29)Left-handedRight arm fast
Ruan de Swardt 21 January 1998 (age 27)Left-handedRight-arm medium-fast
Wicket-keepers
Keegan Petersen 8 August 1993 (age 32)Right-handed
Grant Roelofsen 26 July 1996 (age 29)Right-handed
Spin Bowlers
Prenelan Subrayen 23 September 1993 (age 31)Right-handedRight arm off break Twenty20 Captain
Keshav Maharaj 7 February 1990 (age 35)Right-handed Slow left-arm orthodox List A Captain
Seam Bowlers
Eathan Bosch 27 April 1998 (age 27)Right-handedRight arm fast
Ottniel Baartman 18 March 1993 (age 32)Right-handedRight arm medium-fast
Kerwin Mungroo 31 July 1994 (age 31)Right-handedRight arm fast
Daryn Dupavillon 15 July 1994 (age 31)Right-handedRight arm fast

Team management

Imraan Khan (Head Coach), Quinton Friend (Bowling Coach), Mduduzi Mbatha (Fielding Coach), Devon Van Onselen (Strength & Conditioning), Nicholas Moffitt (Physiotherapist), Anderson Ndovela (Manager).

Former players

Former Dolphins cricketers include Proteas players Shaun Pollock, Jonty Rhodes, Pat Symcox, Lance Klusener, Andrew Hudson, Errol Stewart, Dale Benkenstein, Imraan Khan, Morné van Wyk, Dane Vilas and Mthokozisi Shezi. Hashim Amla played for the Dolphins for many seasons before moving to the Cape Cobras. Kyle Abbott played for the Dolphins before moving to Hampshire on a Kolpak deal. [4]

International players to play for the Dolphins include Malcolm Marshall, Collis King, Hartley Alleyne, Nixon McLean, Eldine Baptiste, Neil Johnson, Sanath Jayasuriya, [5] Ravi Bopara, Graham Onions and Kevin Pietersen.

Current Proteas cricketers in the Dolphins squad include Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Imran Tahir, Andile Phehlukwayo, Robert Frylinck, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Khaya Zondo, Senuran Muthusamy and Daryn Dupavillon.

References

  1. "Hollywoodbets signs new three year deal with Dolphins | Hollywoodbets Dolphins". Dolphinscricket.co.za. 13 September 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  2. DEL CARME, LIAM. "Titans beat Dolphins by seven wickets to clinch the RAM SLAM T20". Times Live. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  3. "Dolphins, Warriors share Momentum Cup title". cricket.co.za. Cricket South Africa. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  4. "Hampshire: Kyle Abbott & Rilee Rossouw content with Kolpak move decisions". BBC. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  5. "Jayasuriya to play for Dolphins". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 9 September 2008.