The Durban-based side have a fight on their hands if they want to play in the SA20 knockout rounds.
With just four regular competition games remaining before the playoffs, the pressure is now squarely on Durban’s Super Giants to come good, following their latest defeat, to the Pretoria Capitals, in this season’s SA20 competition.
Lance Klusener’s side, which have one of the best batting lineups in the competition, are down in fifth place with eight log points and in danger of missing out on the knockout rounds. They’ve won just one game from six matches, with three defeats and two no results because of rain-hit matches.
The top four teams feature in the knockout rounds. The only team worse off than the Super Giants are the defending champions, MI Cape Town, down in sixth, with six log points.
Klusener’s men lost by 15 runs on Wednesday night, chasing 202 to win against the Capitals. Only Jos Buttler, with a stunning 97 not out of 52 balls, produced a score of substance.
This despite the Super Giants having in their ranks Kane Williamson, Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen.
“Chasing 200 you need an 80-run partnership somwhere … we needed someone to help Jos along the way,” lamented Klusener about the defeat on Wednesday night.
“It’s a shame, it’s not due to a lack of trying. We lost wickets at crucial times. If we’re going to do well in this competition we have to find a way and quickly.”
During the match, Lungi Ngidi took a hat trick for the Capitals, the first in SA20 history.
“Credit to him, that was excellent,” said Klusener.
DSG are next up against Sunrisers Eastern Cape, in Durban on Friday, who’re again on course to finish top of the log.
“Sunrisers are a good team; they’re top of the log. We’ll have to play well. If we have dreams of winning this competition, we have to beat the best. There’s a little wriggle room still, so we have to find a way of getting on the right side of the result now.”
The Sunrisers go into Friday’s game on the back of a stunning win against the Pretoria Capitals in Pretoria in Monday. Set a target of 177 to win, the two-time champions knocked off the runs inside 15 overs with Quinton de Kock (79 off 41) and Jonny Bairstow (85 off 45) in blistering form.
