A career-best four for 15 by Keshav Maharaj upstaged Siyabonga Mahima's debut hat-trick as the Dolphins made a strong start to their T20 Challenge campaign with a 14-run win over the Cape Cobras in Durban on Friday.
SCORECARD | Dolphins v Cape Cobras
Proteas batsman Khaya Zondo hit his ninth career half-century, which set the hosts up for a total of 155 for eight after they won the toss and opted to bat first at Kingsmead.
Zondo plundered 59 off 39 balls (6 fours, 2 sixes), but was the second of rookie leg-break bowler Mahami's hat-trick victims - the 24-year-old finishing with the dreamy figures of four for 18 in three overs.
Mahami was then upstaged by Proteas slow left-armer Maharaj, who beat his previous best figures of three for seven that he claimed playing for KwaZulu-Natal against Namibia at Chatsworth in 2012/13, as the Cobras faded away to end on 141 for seven.
That handed the Dolphins a flying start to their campaign, which is being hosted in a bio-secure environment at their home ground.
Only Zondo managed to find his range for the hosts in their innings after losing wickets regularly. They had two run-outs in the first nine overs as Grant Roelofsen (0) and David Miller (16) failed to make their ground.
Corbin Bosch (1/31) and Mahami also struck to leave the Dolphins on 63 for four just after half way.
Zondo, though, proved to be the dangerman as he tucked into the bowling, with the Cobras' 25 extras proving to be the second top-scorer.
Mahami did make merry at the end - all his victims caught in the outfield trying to go big - as the youngster ended with a four-for.
The chase began well for the Cape side as they progressed to 70 for one thanks to new captain Tony de Zorzi (39) and Kyle Verreynne (29), the pair putting on 69 for the second wicket.
But they then lost four wickets for four runs to all but drop out of the hunt, before Christiaan Jonker's unbeaten 41 add respectability to the scorecard.
The match also concluded the day one programme, which was a double-header that began with the Titans thumping the Knights by six wickets earlier in the day.