Cricket | Hollywoodbets Dolphins Stars Shine at the 2024 Star Awards
The Hollywoodbets Dolphins are set to celebrate the outstanding individual performances of their players at the upcoming Hollywoodbets Star Awards.
This special event will take place on 18 March 2025 at the Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium, where players from both the men’s and women’s teams will be recognized for their exceptional performances during the 2023/24 season and the first half of the 2024/25 season.
As the proud sponsor of the KZN Cricket Union since 2015, Hollywoodbets, South Africa’s community-focused betting operator, has annually recognized players for their standout performances on the field.
Devin Heffer, Hollywoodbets Brand and Communications Manager, said, “At Hollywoodbets, we have always been about rewarding success and outstanding performances, whether in business or sport. We share in the achievements of the Hollywoodbets Dolphins Men and Ladies on the field, and this event is a fantastic opportunity to acknowledge those contributions. This awards ceremony is always a highlight on the cricketing calendar, both for the players and for us.”
The 2023/24 season was particularly groundbreaking for the Hollywoodbets Dolphins Ladies, who secured their first-ever 1st Division trophy by winning the inaugural CSA Women’s One Day Cup. Their dominance throughout the season culminated in a spectacular final, where Alexandra Candler’s impressive 89 runs against the Lions sealed a historic victory.
Candler was instrumental, finishing as the leading run-scorer in both the 50-over and T20 competitions. Her One Day Cup campaign yielded 278 runs at an average of 46, with a highest score of 89, while she amassed 165 runs in the T20 format, including a top score of 62 not out.
On the bowling front, Nonkululeko Mlaba and Kiara Fisher delivered standout performances. Mlaba’s brilliant spell of 5/24 against the Garden Route Badgers and Fisher’s incredible 6/19 against the Titans in the One Day Cup were among the highlights of the season.
For the men’s team, the 2023/24 season was marked by consistent performances, despite narrowly missing out on silverware. The Dolphins reached the CSA T20 Challenge final and delivered strong displays in the CSA 4-Day Domestic Series.
Fast bowler Okuhle Cele made a triumphant return to Durban, emerging as the Dolphins’ top wicket-taker in both competitions. He claimed 17 wickets in the T20 Challenge and added 24 wickets in the 4-Day Series.
Batters such as Bryce Parsons, Jason Smith, and Marques Ackerman lit up the season with stellar performances. Parsons’ unforgettable 191 runs off 179 balls against the Dragons, featuring 25 fours and four sixes, stood out as one of the most dominant innings of the season. Meanwhile, Jason Smith’s unbeaten 116 off 103 balls against the same opposition in the One Day Cup showcased his power-hitting ability.
Other notable contributions included Prenelan Subrayen’s ten-wicket match haul against Western Province in the 4-Day Cup and Jon-Jon Smuts’ superb six-wicket haul against KZN Inland.
The awards promise to be a celebration of remarkable individual achievements while also highlighting the collective success of the Hollywoodbets Dolphins teams over the past eighteen months.
