Paarl Royals have cemented their position at the top of the Betway SA20 table with a hard-fought five-wicket victory over Durban’s Super Giants at Kingsmead on Thursday evening.
The Super Giants, meanwhile, remain rooted to the basement on eight points and face an uphill battle to qualify for the playoffs with three league matches remaining. Lance Klusener’s team can now reach a maximum of 23 points if they win each of their matches with a bonus point.
The Royals are already on 20 points and are within touching distance of becoming the first team to qualify for the Season 3 playoffs.
It was a battle of the Afghanistan mystery spinners between the Royals’ Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Super Giants’ Noor Ahmad.
Mujeeb produced another masterclass of 2/23 to restrict the Super Giants to 142/7.
It was a superb effort considering DSG powered out of the starting blocks through a 62-run opening stand between Matthew Breetzke (25) and Quinton de Kock (43).
De Kock’s promotion to the top of the order certainly paid dividends, but unfortunately, he holed out to deep long-off against Mujeeb just when it seemed he was hitting his stride.
Mujeeb also removed the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen for two as the Royals tightened the screws during the middle overs.
All-rounders Wiaan Mulder (24) and Jon-Jon Smuts (32) attempted a rebuilding job, but all the momentum was now with the Royals.
They were even able to absorb the early loss of Joe Root with Betway SA20 Rising Star Lhuan-dre Pretorius belting another rapid 25 off 13 balls (4×4).
The Super Giants turned to Noor Ahmad to replicate his compatriot Mujeeb’s earlier heroics.
It was required, for Rubin Hermann was once again proving to be the find of the competition for the Royals with a blitzkrieg 44 off just 22 balls (4×4, 3×6) to spearhead the run chase.
Ahmad, though, is a class act and produced arguably the ball of the competition to clean bowl the well-set Hermann.
Unfortunately for the Super Giants, it was the only success for Ahmad on the night.
Mitchell van Buuren laid down the anchor with a composed 44 that took the Royals to the brink of victory.
The Royals can now confidently look forward to their clash against the Pretoria Capitals on Saturday at Boland Park, while the Super Giants will need to regroup quickly ahead of their trip to Newlands to face MI Cape Town.
Highlander Monk
Sport Trivia: Graeme Pollock is considered to be one of the greatest batsmen of all-time. What was his test batting average when he retired?Answer: 60.97. He made his Test debut at the age of 19, and in just 41 tests he scored 2484 runs at an average of 60.97, with five centuries and 15 fifties. He also captured 47 wickets at an average 39.55 runs per wicket. Sadly, his test career was cut short when, at the age of twenty six, an international sporting ban was imposed on South Africa as a result of Apartheid. He was arguably the greatest left-handed batsman the world has yet seen.
blistered outlaw
Rugby balls were first made from pig’s bladders – Rugby ball’s distinctive plum shape makes them aerodynamic, easy to hold, and easy to pass over distances. To encapsulate those qualities, original rugby balls were made from inflated pigs bladders, stitched tightly to trap the air. Gross but very true!