Saturday, 10 February 2024: Sunrisers Eastern Cape acquire won back-to-back Betway SA20 championships after an empathic 89-run victory over Durban’s Super Giants at Newlands on Saturday evening.
After topping the group stage, the Sunrisers delivered a clinical performance in the final.
Half-centuries from Tom Abell (55) and Tristan Stubbs (56 not out) along with contributions from Jordan Hermann and captain Aiden Markram, who both contributed 42, respectively, saw the Sunrisers post a formidable 204/3.
Partnerships were crucial in the Sunrisers’ innings with Hermann and Abell setting up the winning total with a 90-run stand for the second wicket after the early loss of Dawid Malan.
Durban’s Super Giants captain, Keshav Maharaj, hit back with a double-wicket over by removing both set batters in Hermann and Abell.
But the Sunrisers showed they had plenty more in reserve with Markram and Stubbs rebuilding the innings before exploding towards the backend with 98 runs off 55 balls.
The Sunrisers’ bowling unit has been their strongest discipline every season and their seamers certainly rose to the occasion on the night.
Dan Worrall (2/15) set the tone upfront again with the dismissal of Quinton de Kock early on before Marco Jansen delivered two hammer blows in the fourth over with the removal of Jon Jon Smuts and Bhanuka Rajapaksa to leave the Super Giants reeling at 7/3.
Wiaan Mulder attempted a recovery job with quickfire 38, but that’s when Ottniel Baartman (2/17) delivered the moment of the match.
He had already dismissed Matthew Breetzke, but it was his in-swinger that wrapped the risky Heinrich Klaasen on the pads first ball that closed the game as a contest.
DSG were on the ropes at 63/5 which left the door open for Jansen (5/30) to arrive charging through and finish off the Super Giants tail to complete the back-to-back triumphs.
It was a poignant moment for Jansen after he struck the six last season that won the inaugural Betway SA20 championship and now claimed the final wicket again this year.
Full list of Betway SA20 Award Winners:
Betway SA20 champions: Sunrisers Eastern Cape
Runners-up: Durban’s Super Giants
Spirit of Cricket Award: Sunrisers Eastern Cape
Rising Star: Marco Jansen (Sunrisers Eastern Cape)
Batter of the Season: Heinrich Klaasen (Durban’s Super Giants)
Bowler of the Season: Ottniel Baartman (Sunrisers Eastern Cape)
Betway Player of the Season: Heinrich Klaasen (Durban’s Super Giants)
Source: cricket.co.za
Shaun Pollock: Born into a family of renowned cricketers, Shaun Pollock was the son of Peter Pollock and the nephew of Graeme Pollock. One of the best medium pace bowlers of South Africa, he was pushed into captaincy when Hansie Cronje got entangled in a match-fixing scandal in 2000.
Red Woman
South Africa also has a women’s national cricket team—they’re currently 6th in the rankings!
goldtouch
Interestingly, basketball emerged as an offshoot of rugby. A rugby coach seeking an indoor activity to keep his players engaged and active during the offseason invented the sport, which has since gained immense popularity worldwide.