Tristan Stubbs and James Fuller did business at the death for the Eastern Cape Sunrisers as they pulled off a thrilling four-wicket win, with three balls to spare, over MI Cape Town at St George’s Park, for their first win in the inaugural SA20 league. .
Chasing 159 for victory, Sunrisers were in control as Sarel Erwee (41 from 35 balls) and Aiden Markram (50 from 35) added 92 for the third wicket to leave the home side needing 58 runs from the last eight overs.
But MI Cape Town fought back superbly as leg-spinner Rashid Khan (4-0-23-1) trapped Erwee lbw and Odean Smith (2.3-0-23-3) had Markram caught on the midwicket boundary. Sunrisers slumped to 109/5, with Stubbs and Marco Jansen still needing 30 from the final three overs after the superb bowling of Rashid and Kagiso Rabada (4-1-26-0) scored just nine runs in 16Th and 17Th overs combined.
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Stubbs stepped up for the team though when he bashed 30 off 18 balls, while Jansen stuck around, providing yeoman service with a run-a-ball 16 not out. Stubbs was caught behind the first ball of the final over bowled by Smith, with five runs needed, to create some extra nerves.
But Fuller sealed the victory with a back boundary in his first two balls.
Just the beginning wanted
Sunrisers have sent MI Cape Town to bat first and the bowlers gave them just the start they wanted as they sent the visitors stumbling to 52/4. Dewald Brevis struggled for 15 off 28 balls before becoming the first of two victims off-spinner Markram.
Rassie van der Dussen (29 off 22) helped rebuild the innings with George Linde, who played a big knock in the end, lashing 63 not out from just 28 deliveries, with five sixes, for MI Cape Town to 158/8, in Sort of the total they will feel they can defend.
Seamers Sisanda Magala (4-0-22-2) and Jansen (4-0-25-1) were outstanding with the ball. Spinners Markram (2-0-8-2) and Roelof van der Merwe, who conceded just 20 runs in three overs, also played a big role.
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