Heinrich Klaasen roared to a 19-ball fifty to complete a prolific batting display by Durban’s Super Giants as they beat Paarl Royals by 27 runs in an SA20 match at Kingsmead on Sunday.
Klaasen hit four sixes in the final over to finish on 50 not out from just 19 balls, forcing the Super Giants to a massive 216/4 in 20 overs after they elected to bat first.
Medium-pacer Ferisco Adams was an unlucky bowler as Klaasen put a complete touch to his matchwinning innings, which saw him bludgeon six sixes in all.
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It capped off a frustrating period on the field for the Royals, who could not get ahead as Durban openers Kyle Mayers (39 off 23) and Wiaan Mulder (42 off 33) added 62 in the powerplay.
Captain Quinton de Kock, coming in at No.3, then further punished the bowlers with a boundary-filled 57 from 31 balls, with five fours and six sixes.
Given the batting, Paarl seamers Lungi Ngidi and Evan Jones can stand proud with figures of 2/33 in four overs each.
Terminal probability
In reply, the Royals’ chances looked terminal as they collapsed to 63/4 after eight overs, with Dwaine Pretorius taking two wickets in the seventh over, including David Miller for one, and off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen then bowling Jason Roy dangerously. for 33 from 23 balls.
But Eoin Morgan and Dane Vilas, two experienced campaigners, then joined forces and it was one-way traffic as they added 114 for the fifth wicket in 10 overs.
Morgan would not die thinking as he deposited five sixes in the crowd as he made 64 off 37 balls, while Vilas did not find the right pitch to score quickly but found his flow later and battled to 44 off 30 deliveries.
But in an ode to the importance of fielding, the home team ended Paarl’s resistance with two moments of brilliance on the field.
With 39 needed from 13 balls, Morgan was bowled out with a brilliant pick-up and throw by Simon Hamer and outstanding work by Mulder at the stumps. The next ball saw 12Th Junior Dala took a superbly-judged, steepling catch inside square-leg to remove the big-hitter Jones, and Dala also caught Vilas two balls later.
Topley was the pick of the bowlers with 3/34 in four overs.
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