It was a contest where Perth Scorchers looked in control for the better part but still needed sixes off the last two deliveries to stop the spirited Dolphins.
Holding his nerve, Mitchell Marsh hoisted sixes off two full tosses from Robbie Frylinck — first to midwicket and next into the sight screen — to provide a memorable finish and triggering off celebrations for a six-wicket triumph.
In fact, this was Scorchers’ only second victory in nine outings spread over three editions of Champions League.
For debutant Dolphins, which fought valiantly from being 12 for three in the second over to raise 164 for seven and almost stifled Scorchers in its chase, the contest ended in heartbreak.
Mitchell Marsh, whose brother Shaun is among the star performers for host Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League, made amends for his cautious start to score a 26-ball 40 including four boundaries to go with those two memorable sixes.
Even in the Big Bash League Final, Mitchell had played his part in Scorchers’ victory by blasting a 12-ball 37. On this day, it was Dolphins’ turn to be caught in ‘Marsh land’.
A different finale
In comparison, Frylinck had a different finale to his otherwise exciting script. He was the hero of Dolphins’ title-victory in South Africa’s domestic Ram Slam league. He conceded only 11 runs in the final over when 14 were needed for victory.
Even when Frylinck batted in the final over on Saturday, he smashed two sixes off the final over off Yasser Arafat that produced 16 runs.
However, Frylinck found himself at the receiving end when he bowled the match-deciding final over that saw two sixes for a tally of 16 runs!
The two innings followed an identical scoring pattern though Scorchers lost fewer wickets. If Keshav Maharaj set the pace for Dolphins, Craig Simmons stepped up the scoring rate for Scorchers with a strokeful 48 out of a total of 69 for two.
If Dolphins owed it to Khaya Zondo for his 50-ball 63 for its eventual tally, Scorchers had Sam Whiteman to thank for his 32-ball 45 until Mitchell Marsh’s blows separated the teams.
Scoreboard
Dolphins : Morne van Wyk b Paris 4 (4b, 1x4), Cameron Delport c Whiteman b Behrendorff 8 (3b, 1x6), Cody Chetty b Paris 0 (1b), Keshav Maharaj c Paris b Behrendoff 29 (22b, 5x4, 1x6), Khaya Zondo (not out) 63 (50b, 7x4), Daryn Smit lbw b Arafat 21 (14b, 2x4, 1x6), Vaughn van Jaarsveld c Paris b Behrendorff 7 (10b), Andile Phehlukwayo b Arafat 14 (11b, 1x4), Robbie Frylinck (not out) 15 (6b, 2x6); Extras (lb-1, w-1, nb-1): 3; Total (for seven wickets in 20 overs): 164.
Fall of wickets : 1-4 (van Wyk), 2-4 (Chetty), 3-12 (Delport), 4-45 (Maharaj), 5-75 (Smit), 6-97 (van Jaarsveld), 7-141 (Phehlukwayo).
Perth Scorchers bowling : Joel Paris 4-0-21-2, Jason Behrendorff 4-0-46-3, Yasir Arafat 4-0-42-2, Mitchell Marsh 3-0-21-0, Ashton Agar 1-0-7-0, Brad Hogg 4-0-26-0.
Perth Scorchers : Craig Simmons c and b Delport 48 (36b, 5x4, 2x6), Adam Voges lbw b Abbot 7 (13b, 1x4), Sam Whiteman c Smit b Alexander 45 (32b, 6x4, 1x6), Mitchell Marsh (not out) 40 (26b, 3x4, 2x6), Ashton Agar c Alexander b Frylinck 15 (11b, 2x4), Ashton Turner (not out) 3 (2b); Extras (lb-1, w-6) 7; Total (for four wickets in 20 overs): 165.
Fall of wickets : 1-14 (Voges), 2-69 (Simmons), 3-118 (Whiteman), 4-150 (Agar).
Dolphins bowling : Kyle Abbott 4-0-25-1, Craig Alexander 4-0-31-1, Robbie Frylinck 4-0-32-1, Keshav Maharaj 3-0-25-0, Cameron Delport 4-0-36-1, Daryn Smit 1-0-15-0.
Toss : Dolphins.
Man-of-the-match : Marsh.