Joburg fans brave the weather to paint Wanderers yellow
Joburg Super Kings claimed the spoils by six runs via the Duckworth Lewis & Stern (DLS) method in the anticipated Betway SA20 clash against MI Cape Town at the Wanderers.
The Wanderers faithful came through the turnstiles in their numbers for the exciting encounter between two competitive outfits and were treated to a fiery contest before the rain halted proceedings.
After winning the toss and opting to field first, the home team were out the blocks quickly reducing the visitors to 30/4 after nine overs.
Allrounder George Linde (48 not out off 35 balls) and Delano Potgieter (44 off 22 balls) – who was fresh from a Player of the Match performance in the opening match in Gqeberha – led a spirited fight to lift the team to a competitive total. The pair shared an important unbroken 65-run partnership off 39 balls to lift MI Cape Town to a competitive score of 140/6.
With showers prevalent intermittently on the Highveld, the match was interrupted at various stages. A lengthy stoppage after the dinner interval caused the Super Kings’ chase to be reduced to 19 overs with the initial target of 141 revised to 136.
In response, Trent Boult continued with his new-ball masterclass with the dismissal of Devon Conway (9) before rain brought a stop to the chase. Mindful of the rain JSK captain Faf du Plessis played a solid knock of 30 off 23 balls before he was dismissed courtesy of a screamer of a catch by Dewald Brevis on the cover boundary when he tipped the ball back infield before diving full length back in field to complete the dismissal.
The players were then forced to leave the field again with the Super Kings on 82/3 after 11.3 overs – six runs ahead on DLS – at that stage.
A persistent downpour prevented the players from returning to field allowing the Super Kings to claim the four match points.
Leus du Plooy, who was unbeaten on 23 and Wihan Lubbe (1 not out) were the JSK batters at the crease.
Proteas spearhead Kagiso Rabada claimed 2/10 for MI Cape Town in his first game of Season 3 after missing the opener a couple of days ago in Gqeberha.
Du Plessis was named player of the match for his performance and has also become the highest run-scorer in T20 cricket amongst South Africans.
Pretorius puts on a Royal show on Betway SA20 debut
The 18-year-old, who is still awaiting his Matric results, was in imperious form as he shared a 132-run opening stand with Joe Root.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius provided South African cricket with a glimpse into the future after the Betway SA20 Rising Star smashed 97 off 51 balls (10×4, 6×6) to power the Paarl Royals to a nine-wicket victory over Sunrisers Eastern Cape at Boland Park on Saturday.
The 18-year-old, who is still awaiting his Matric results, was in imperious form as he shared a 132-run opening stand with former England captain Joe Root.
Pretorius’ power game was on full display as he pulled and drove with authority. The former SA U19 prodigy certainly benefitted from having the experienced Root at the non-striker’s end on his Betway SA20 debut.
Root was his customarily composed self as he steered the Royals home with an undefeated 62 off 44 balls (4×4; 1×6) after Pretorius was trapped LBW by Marco Jansen.
The defending champions have now slumped to a second successive defeat after their opening loss to MICT at St George’s Park last Thursday night.
It all seemed to be going much better at the halfway interval when Sunrisers captain Aiden Markram returned to form with a classy 82 off 49 balls (7×4; 2×6). It was a vintage Markram innings with the skipper hauling out his trademark square drive, while also muscling the ball straight down the ground.
Markram initially solidified the Sunrisers innings with Tom Abell (20 off 12 balls) through a 30-run partnership after the loss of both openers Zak Crawley (27 off 18 balls) and Jordan Hermann (10 off 11 balls) in quick succession.
But it was the 102-run partnership off only 63 balls with Tristan Stubbs (28 not out off 26 balls) that set up the Sunrisers’ 175/5.
Royals teenage fast bowler Kwena Maphaka (2/35) showed his ability to execute under pressure though as he held his nerve in the final over of the innings by picking up the wickets of both Markram and Marco Jansen. Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman also collected 2/27.
The Royals can now head down the N1 highway filled with confidence to meet MI Cape Town in the Western Cape derby at Newlands on Monday evening.
The Sunrisers travel up to the Highveld for the next clash against the Pretoria Capitals on Tuesday night at Centurion.
image supplied by SA20