MI Cape Town let the Joburg Super Kings bat first in the Wanderers on Saturday evening and paid the price because they conceded to be restored to 189/6 and then found their pursuit very difficult because they subsided for 113 all out in the SA20 match.
It looked like an inspired decision by captain Rashid Khan when both Joburg openers were dismissed for ducks. In-form Faf du Plessis fell on the first ball of the match when he played too early on a George Linde short delivery that stuck in the pitch, Rashid himself took a fine diving catch at extra cover. Reeza Hendricks then lifted a square leg backward on Sam Curran late in the second half.
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Left-arm seamer Curran took another wicket when he dismissed Sibonelo Makhanya (4) and reduced the Super Kings to 34/3.
But Leus du Plooy came on the second ball of the innings after Du Plessis was dismissed and he never let his intensity or run rate drop. And with Matthew Wade coming in and smacking 40 from just 18 balls with busy, bristling energy, MI Cape Town let the advantage slip.
The pair added 46 from 24 deliveries for the fourth wicket and Du Plooy then shared a useful position with Donovan Ferreira (19), Kyle Simmonds (13) and Romario Shepherd (15*), who hit two sixes in the final over bowled by Jofra Archer .
Du Plooy batted through to score 81 not out from 48 balls, a great example of pacing the innings: He went hard in the powerplay, but then made sure to take the deep innings and ensure the home team posted a big enough total.
Apart from Curran (3-1-26-2), Cape Town’s much-vaunted attack is again lacklustre; in friendly conditions, Rashid was particularly disappointed as he conceded 42 runs in four overs and went wicketless.
Joburg Super Kings then followed up a good batting effort with some tight bowling. Wesley Marshall (4) was trapped lbw by mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana in the third over, but Rassie van der Dussen (20 from 15) and Grant Roelofsen (21 from 24) added 33 for the second wicket.
Cluster of wickets
But there are way too many dot balls and, with the required run-rate climbing to over 11 after seven overs, it is almost inevitable that a cluster of wickets will fall.
Left-arm spinner Kyle Simmonds (3-0-23-3) dismissed Van der Dussen and Roelofsen in the eighth over, Gerald Coetzee (3.5-0-27-3) added three more wickets and Theekshana (4-). 0-16-2) claimed his second as MI Cape Town were beaten in 18Th by. Lizaad Williams conceded just 11 runs in three overs and took a wicket.
Dewald Brevis (27 off 26) was the last man out after coming in at 48/2 and just watched the wickets tumble at the other end.
The bonus point win lifted Joburg Super Kings to 27 points, tied with leaders Pretoria Capitals, who have a better run-rate nett and play their final game tomorrow against Paarl Royals in Centurion.
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