The Pick’n’Pay “Clash of Kings” exhibition Pro20 match between the Dolphins and the Sharks played out to a thrilling climax yesterday afternoon, in front of a crowd of around 11 000 at Kingsmead in Durban.
It was, ultimately, Imraan Kahn’s Dolphins who walked away victorious, pipping Keega Daniel’s Sharks XI (or was it XV) by just three runs at the death. That said, with the odds heavily stacked in the Sharks favour by dint of the fact that they were allowed four extra fielders, along with numerous other handicaps, one has to hand it to the Dolphins for going even further out of their way to ensure such an even contest!
With the professional cricketers batting first, Loots Bosman and Kahn got off to a flying start, with the wayward-ish bowling of Daniel and new boy Riaan Viljoen punished in a pair of opening overs that saw 30 runs scored. Bosman’s wicket fell before too long, caught brilliantly by Daniel off Viljoen’s bowling, but not before he’d put a credible 39 runs off just 17 balls. The Sharks managed to contain the Dolphins reasonably well from that point on, though, with Daniel, Ryan Kankowski and Marius Joubert each picking up a wicket. Cobus Reinach pulled off a superb run-out, leaving the pair of Pat Lambie and Lubabalo Mthembu to finish off the tail.
That they did in short order, with the two schoolboy cricket stars taking the remaining 5 wickets between them, with Dale’s Mthembu just edging the contest over Michaelhouse’s Lambie, three to two. With the final wicket falling just a few balls short of the 20-over limit, the Dolphins had set the Sharks a seemingly attainable target of 158, just under 8 runs an over.
Lambie once again proved the hero with the bat, in a wonderful display that saw him score 58 runs of 54 balls and very nearly bat through the innings. While the young flyhalf played the sort of innings that would have done wonders in a 50-over game, the run-rate just wasn’t quite up there for the 20-over format and though he and his partners at the crease battled manfully, they never managed to quite get to a comfortable position in terms of runs scored.
Jacques Botes opened with Lambie and also did a fine job, scoring 32 off 28 deliveries, but once he went, the Sharks’ innings floundered a little as Alistair Hargreaves (11 from 11) and Keegan Daniel (0 from 3) were dispatched fairly quickly. The the Dolphins’ credit, they then tried to make a game of it by bowling some fairly benign deliveries to the incoming Riaan Viljoen and Marius Joubert. Viljoen made hay (25 not out from 14), while Joubert did not (out for 4 off 2 balls) and there was a decent little cameo from JP Pietersen at the end (20 not out off just 7). Ultimately, though, Viljoen had too much to do in the last over and only managed 18 of the 21 required runs.
The day will be remembered, though, for the great entertainment and camaraderie between players and also the wonderful amount of R40 000 raised for charity. Pat Lambie was duly named man of the match for his exploits across both innings and it is believed that John Plumtree made sure to whisk him out of the grounds shortly after the match just in case any Dolphins scouts started to clever ideas!
Tweet
Well written article 🙂
Errol Stewart played both cricket and rugby for Natal, why not Lambie too? 58 runs against a provincial side not bad going even if it is a fun hit out T20 match…
@The Quirk (Comment 2) : problem is the time required to be a professional in two sporting codes… simply can’t happen any more
@StevieS (Comment 1) : thank you sir!
Well done to the organisers and the 2 teams for a great and entertaining event.
Great effort by all and charity is the winner! Well done Boys!
Fantastic initiative, well done to all!
As much as we fear Lambie may venture into cricket after his performance im also worried Rob becomes a cricket scribe, brilliantly written boet!
I need the Sharks to start their warm-up games!!! Getting quite desperate here. Think I’m developing a nervous tic!
Heineken Cup is just not cutting it anymore, especially as I’m never sure who I should support (I generally tend to go for the team with the most South Africans in it!).
Any news on our warm-up games? As far as I’m aware we are playing Boland and The Kings. Any other games?
In other news I saw on SuperXV.com that the ‘Tahs, Force and Rebels are keen to play games against Scotland, a Currie Cup side and Wales respectively as their byes fall on either side of the 3 week international window (effectively giving them a 5 week break). Smart move to keep the players match fit.
@StevieS (Comment 9) :
That is very interesting indeed.
Will do some research and see if it is worth an article.
Great, please let me know if it will happen. I hope it’ll be televised.
All thye teams should do this
And it should be on TV
It must be a hard life to be so multi talented..these guys could of chosen any sport path…
@billy (Comment 8) : not bad for someone who didn’t see the match, hey?
I’ve been around enough cricket fans in my life to have picked up some of the lingo 🙂
@StevieS (Comment 9) : I believe the only other game will be an internal trial… and that should be on 3 Feb.
@StevieS (Comment 9) : Either you misread or SuperXV have the cat by the arse.
The teams with a bye the week before the break are, Cheetahs, Force, Reds.
The teams with a bye the week after the break are, Blues, Waratahs, Sharks.
Nobody has a bye immediately before AND after the break.
@robdylan (Comment 15) : Even a blind squirrel finds a nut occasionally. 😆
@KSA Shark © (Comment 18) : ha ha… very true!
what’s the dates for the sharks warmup games again….
@robdylan (Comment 16) : Thanks Rob 🙂
@KSA Shark © (Comment 17) : Sorry, it was the Reds, Force and Waratahs. My fault for not going back and getting the teams correct 😳
From superxv.com:
‘The Reds, Force and the Waratahs will however have a five week break as a result of their byes falling on either side of the break.’
and
‘The Waratahs are expected to announce a match against Scotland – possibly in the second week of June and Wales (supposed to be the Reds) are expected to play Wales in Canberra in a midweek match between the the Brisbane (June 9) and Melbourne (June 16) Tests.
The Force meanwhile are reported to be setting up a match in Perth against a Currie Cup team from South Africa.
@robdylan (Comment 15) :
So what is next, ProteaWorld ???
Hey anyone heard anything about Sykes returning, heard he may have signed 1 year deal with Sharks? Rumour only at this stage.
@Pat (Comment 24) : Please let it be true! We need an enforcer with some experience.
Where did you hear that?
@StevieS (Comment 22) : No Worries but then SuperXV have still got the cat by the arse.
Saying the guys have a 5 week break is using a little poetic license IMO. That is like saying a team has a 2 week break because they have 1 weekend off.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 23) : 😀 Joint venture between Rob and Klempie. 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 26) :
A stretch in the truth, nothing new for those punks down under…
They call themselves Wallabies, we call them inmates… on in the same.. 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 27) :
Rob being the main contributor, giving us his thoughts on the new review system and the possibility of revolving subs..
Can’t wait!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 26) : Agreed.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 28) :
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 29) :
Hehehehehehe 😆
@KSA Shark © (Comment 31) : are you okes ON CRACK?
@<a href="#[email protected]robdylan (Comment 3) : 4″>The Quirk (Comment 2) : the problem we have in cricket and rugby is how the seasons now tend to overlap each other more and more .
In american sports I can recall bo jackson (in the 80’s) and deion saunders play both nfl and nba.
@<a href="#[email protected]robdylan (Comment 3) : 4″>The Quirk (Comment 2) : the problem we have in cricket and rugby is how the seasons now tend to overlap each other more and more .
In american sports I can recall bo jackson (in the 80’s) and deion saunders play both nfl and pro baseball.
@robdylan (Comment 32) : The GOOD crack. 🙂
@The Quirk (Comment 2) : think lee barnard also played some first-class rugby?
@bergshark (Comment 36) : and jeff wilson played odi cricket for nz
@bergshark (Comment 37) : Lee Barnard played provincial rugby and cricket as did Peter Kirsten. I’m sure there are many other examples from the amateur era. Further back Hilton old boy brian Pfaff plyed rugby for SA and provincial cricket in the 50’s.
More reecently there have been many players such as Pat Lambie who could probably have made it in either sport. Herchelle Gibbs was an outstanding young rugby player as (I am told) was AB de Villiers.
These days either sport is a 12 month season.
@steve (Comment 38) : thanks for clearing that up:-) lee barnard played flyhalf if I recall correctly? If one wants to play at intl level it would most probably be best to specialise in a sport.
@steve (Comment 38) : and wasn’t there back in the 50’s a natal flyhalf by the name of peter taylor who played cricket for south africa?
@bergshark (Comment 39) : Might be wrong but I think Errol Stewart played cricket as well as centre for us?
It just goes to show how blessed Lambie is with incredible talent, IMO. The Sharks are darned lucky to have him. Hope they don’t bicker about paying him his due when his contract comes up for extension this year.
@robdylan (Comment 32) : @KSA Shark © (Comment 27) : @Richard Ferguson (Comment 23) :oh boy we’ve created a monster 😯 😆
Does anyone have the dates for the matches against Boland and EP Kings?
@starcrossedlover (Comment 44) : I think it’s Boland on 10 Feb and EP on 17 Feb
@robdylan (Comment 45) : Thanks. Want to get flights booked!
@starcrossedlover (Comment 46) : Boland is at home and EP away… you know that?
Best to call the Sharks ticket office and double check this before booking anything.
@bergshark (Comment 37) : And basketball.
@bergshark (Comment 36) :
@steve (Comment 38) :
Gavin Cowley played both rugby and cricket for Eastern Province.
Hugh Reece Edwards was a mean cricketer as well.
@Salmonoid (Comment 49) : what about Bashford?
@bergshark (Comment 39) : @Salmonoid (Comment 49) : Apparently guys like Peter Kirsten and Daryll Cullinan were right up there as well.
Strange how it’s mainly the flyhalves who made the best cricket/rugby crossovers.
Jeff Wilson has to top the list tho. No one has achieved what he has in the modern era where cricket and rugby seasons overlap and then some.
@beet (Comment 51) : If you’re good with balls, you’re good with balls. Know what I mean?
@beet: I’m watching the patriots vs ravens play-off now- 4th quarter.
@beet: how good was that intercept off the brady long throw by pollard??!