The SA20 once again delivered a thrilling climax with the Joburg Super Kings lifting themselves from the bottom of the Betway SA20 table with a last-ball victory over the Eastern Cape Sunrisers at St George’s Park.
It was the home side who entered the contest on the back of three consecutive victories, but it was the Super Kings who finally found some form on Saturday evening.
Sunrisers seam bowler Sisanda Magala went from hero to villain in a matter of seconds. Magala was tasked with defending eight runs in the final over and was brilliant with his first four deliveries restricting the Super Kings to just three runs.
This leaves the Super Kings needing the last five deliveries. Unfortunately for Magala, Leus du Plooy flicked his fifth delivery for a boundary to level the scores.
But to add to the drama Magala has over-stepped and the delivery has ordered no ball which took the Super Kings home with one ball to spare.
Du Plooy finished unbeaten on 47 off 40 deliveries which helped the Super Kings cruise past Sunrisers 127 all out.
The left-hander had little support apart from captain Faf du Plessis’s 37.
The win though was orchestrated by an impressive Super Kings bowling unit that combined spin and pace to devastating effect.
Left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso, who was allowed to bowl after being reported for suspected illegal bowling action earlier in the week, sent Player performance Match 4/20.
Phangiso was impressive from the start as he dismissed top scorer Adam Rossington (40) before jamming into Sunrisers’ dangerous middle order of Tristan Stubbs (4), JJ Smuts (22) and Marco Jansen (6).
Phangiso’s heroics exposed the Sunrisers’ tail which allowed fast bowler Gerald Coetzee (4/20) to run through to dismiss the home side for a paltry 127 in 18.4 overs.
Sunrisers tried valiantly with the ball through spinners Jon Jon Smuts (1/8) and Roelof van der Merwe (2/16), but in the end it was to no avail.