Imran Tahir took five wickets as the Dolphins managed a rare away triumph over the Warriors, clinching their Momentum One-Day Cup cricket fixture by 79 runs at St George’s Park on Friday evening.

Set 251 for victory, the Warriors could only manage 171 in 38.3 overs in reply sinking to their second defeat in as many games after losing to the Cape Cobras in Oudtshoorn before the Festive Season break.

For the Dolphins, it was a well-deserved victory having lost to the Warriors on the final delivery in their previous encounter in the Ram Slam T20 at St George’s Park.

They came into the game having not performed well in the Bay in recent seasons against the Eastern Cape franchise but they put that to bed on Friday as their variety of bowlers put the skids on the Warrior’s chase.

Lesiba Ngoepe made 44 in the unaccustomed role of opening the batting but fell to a poor shot off the bowling of left-arm seamer Athi Maposa, who was impressive on the night taking two for 22.

Captain Jon-Jon Smuts (45) fought what was almost a lone crusade from the middle of the innings receiving some help from Simon Harmer (27).

As for the rest of the Warriors batting, they could not handle legspin of Tahir, who took five for 21 and was the most successful of the Dolphins bowlers.

Earlier in the day, the Dolphins’ innings was rescued by an unbeaten 53 from Cody Chetty as they pushed on from a middle-order slump to post 250 for nine.

Batting at number six, Chetty shared in two vital partnerships, the first being 55 for the seventh wicket with Calvin Savage (25) and the second of 52 with number nine Prenelan Subrayen (33).

That helped the visitors recover from the precarious position of 141 for six to something more defendable.

Off-spinner Harmer made his return to Warriors colours having last played for the Eastern Cape franchise in a Sunfoil Series game in October.

He bowled neatly considering the long layoff conceding only 35 runs in his 10 wicket-less overs.

The damage as far as wickets taken was effected by left-arm spinner and captain Smuts. He captured four scalps for 55 runs with two coming at the top of the order and the other two nearer the bottom.

Aya Gqamane also bowled well taking three for 26 in his six overs.

The Dolphins’ innings was littered with starts and not enough completion as all five of their top order batsmen failed to convert their efforts into meaningful ones.

Sarel Erwee (26) and Morne van Wyk (25) got them off to a solid enough start at 55 in the 12th over but the Dolphins would have wanted one of them to go on an anchor the innings.

Senuran Muthusamy (31), captain Khaya Zondo (21) and Sibonelo Makhanya (13) all failed to make a significant impact and it was left to tail-enders Savage and Subrayen to support Chetty through to the close.

Subrayen’s effort is worth a mention as it was an aggressive cameo secured off only 28 balls and included four fours and a six.

The Warriors now travel to face the Titans in Benoni on Sunday before playing the Knights in Kimberley on Tuesday.

The Dolphins are only in action again on Wednesday when they are hosted by the Cape Cobras in Paarl.