Joburg Super Kings (JSK) secured their playoff berth with a 45-run victory over Paarl Royals (including bonus points) in the SA-20. The match was played at Boland Park on Monday evening. Batting first, JSK scored 166 for 6. In reply, Paarl Royals were bowled out for 122 in 18.1 overs. Du Plooy transformed the match under pressure.
This match was a do-or-die affair for Joburg Super Kings to stay in the playoff race. Batting first after winning the toss, the team had a modest start, but Du Plooy turned the match around in the final overs. He scored an unbeaten 54 off 27 balls, including five fours and three sixes. He added 32 runs in the last two overs, taking the score to 166. Du Plooy, a last-minute replacement for the injured Faf du Plessis, smashed two sixes and a four in an over bowled by Waqar Salamakhel. The middle order failed to gain momentum.
Earlier, Neil Timmers scored 37 runs from 39 balls. Michael Pepper and Matthew de Villiers added 27 runs each from 23 balls, but the run rate was not as expected. Waqar Salamkhel took two wickets for Paarl Royals. Spin duo breaks Paarl Royals’ momentum.
Chasing a target of 167, Paarl Royals appeared under pressure from the start. Captain David Miller did not play due to injury, weakening the batting order.
Luan-Dre Pretorius scored 32 runs from 25 balls and Dan Lawrence scored 45 runs from 29 balls, but the team could not recover. For JSK, the spin duo of Prenellan Subrayen and Imran Tahir turned the match into a one-sided affair. They took 5 wickets for just 31 runs in 7 overs. Subrayen took 3 wickets for 14 runs, while Tahir took 2 wickets for 17 runs. Points Table Analysis
Sunrisers Eastern Cape topped the group stage with 28 points. They will face Pretoria Capitals (24 points) in Qualifier 1 at Kingsmead on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the eliminator match between Paarl Royals (24 points) and Joburg Super Kings (22 points) will be played at Centurion on Thursday. _______________ Also read this sports news… Tereza Valentova causes upset at Australian Open: Defeats Australia’s No. 1 player, Maya Joint; Defending champion Madison Keys advances to the second round. Australia’s No. 1 female tennis player, Maya Joint, suffered a defeat in the first round of the Australian Open. World No. 31, Joint was defeated by 18-year-old Tereza Valentova of the Czech Republic in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. Valentova is ranked 54th. Meanwhile, defending women’s singles champion Madison Keys also started with a win. Full News
