MI Cape Town are still alive in this season’s SA20 competition, if only just, after beating Sunrisers Eastern Cape in...
MI Cape Town are still alive in this season’s SA20 competition, if only just, after beating Sunrisers Eastern Cape in a thrilling and close match at Newlands on Friday night.
But if they are to qualify for the play-offs next week, they will have to win their remaining game, against the same team in Gqeberha on Sunday and hope the Joburg Super Kings lose their last two games.
JSK are up against Pretoria Capitals at home on Saturday and Paarl Royals away on Monday
MI Cape Town’s win on Friday was just their third in nine matches this season. Set a target of 140 to win under the lights, they got there with seven wickets down and five balls to spare.
Reeza Hendricks was the mainstay of the run chase, the classy opener scoring 41 off 43 balls. He was well-supported by George Linde (31 off 18), Kieron Pollard (20 of 14) and Nicholas Pooran (17 off 11).
Marco Jansen (2/23 in four) and Senuran Muthusamy (2/25 in 3.2 overs) were their team’s most successful bowlers.
Sunrisers qualified for the playoffs before Friday’s match, but because of the loss they are no longer the favourites to finish top of the log. Paarl Royals and Pretoria Capitals are again in with a shout of finishing first.
Earlier, the Sunrisers, after winning the toss and electing to bat first, lost Quinton de Kock to the first ball of the match and Jony Bairstow (15), Matthew Breetzke (16), Jordan Hermann (12) and Tristan Stubbs (4) came and went before Englishman James Coles and Marco Jansen rescued the innings.
Coles struck 28 off 27 while Jansen, who has not had the best competition with the bat, hit a stunning 42 off 23 to help get their team to 139/9.
Trent Boult, with 3/28 in four, and Corbin Bosch, with 4/34 in four, were their team’s most successful bowlers. Kagiso Rabada (1/20 in three), Dane Piedt (0/13 in three), George Linde (1/34 in four) and Kieron Pollard (0/9 in two) were also excellent.
The teams meet again on Sunday, in Gqeberha, in their final matches of the round robin phase.
