Coolest heads at the death more often than not win in white-ball cricket and it proved to be the case again at Wanderers on Tuesday night as Joburg Super Kings beat Pretoria Capitals by six runs in another SA20 thriller. .
With Pretoria needing 21 runs to win in the last two overs, Migael Pretorius (5) was just short of a run as skipper Wayne Parnell came in quick, leading to a run-out. Adil Rashid launched the second ball brilliantly to end Alzarri Joseph’s penultimate over at the cost of 11 in the over.
Defending 10 laps, Romario Shepherd, Guyana’s all-rounder produced a remarkable final. Bowling a slow ball short of a length, he conceded just three runs off the first four balls and then had Rashid caught at long-off for eight, leaving Pretoria needing six off the last ball for the Super Over. Anrich Nortje could only swing and miss as Parnell was left stranded on 19 not out.
Capitals will muse that it is a win they throw away over several crickets much even before the frantic final overs.
Eathan Bosch (15) nicked a very wide delivery from Gerald Coetzee after adding 30 with Parnell, while at the top of the order, Rilee Rossouw suffered a similar fate to the first ball, bowled by Joseph.
Jimmy Neesham (24) had just hit Aaron Phangiso for three sixes in a row as he rounded the line heading for fourth and lost, Shane Dadswell (22) and opener Phil Salt (29) also fell victim to a slick left-arm swipe. spinner.
Theunis de Bruyn (18) was trapped lbw by Phangiso when he finished with outstanding figures of 4/32, his 18 runs coming from three deliveries.
New bowlers Joseph (4-0-34-2) and Coetzee (4-0-31-1) impressed, while Shepherd finished with 2/28, bringing all the party tricks.
The crowd is magnetic
Joburg Super Kings’ total 168/6 thanks to the fire of 75 not out of 40 balls from Leus du Plooy, who magnetised many Wanderers packed with some of the best ball-striking and smart-choice shot.
After being sent into bat, this time the Super Kings top order stuck with determination. Openers Reeza Hendricks and captain Faf du Plessis (27) added 45 in the first seven, and Du Plooy then joined Hendricks to add another 73 from 53 balls for the second wicket.
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It may not have been the usual fast-scoring Wanderers, but the key was that the Super Kings kept their wickets in hand and were able to get a defendable total as Du Plooy hammered seven fours and five sixes.
Fast bowlers Bosch, with a brilliant 3/12 in three overs, and Nortje (4-0-26-2) lead the bowling of Pretoria Capitals.
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