Gqeberha – The Durban’s Super Giants went all out on Sunday night in an attempt to cash in on their final opportunity to qualify for the semi-finals.
The Durban side needed a bonus point victory if they were to qualify for the semi-finals. A bonus point win would level them on points with third-placed Sunrisers Eastern Cape and fourth-placed Paarl Royals.
Leading from the front in an all-important fixture at SuperSport Park, Quinton de Kock came out with only one objective in mind, to take the fight to Pretoria Capitals’ bowlers. Ben McDermott, his opening partner joined in on the fun as the pair raced to 50 runs in 4.1 overs of the match, registering a run-rate of overs 12 runs an over.
The pair finished the first powerplay with 76 runs on the board. De Kock struck 43 runs off 20 balls while McDermott scored 41 off 24 balls. De Kock went out in the seventh over and McDermott in the tenth. David Willey and Wiaan Mulder fell cheaply having faced two balls and nine balls respectively.
A solid foundation was laid by the openers and two quick wickets seemed to derail what had been a proper effort with the bat from the visiting team.
Klaasen and Matthew Breetzke had a totally different idea as the team’s hopes were entirely on them, the only remaining recognized batters in the lineup. Both immensely talented batters but have perhaps lacked an innings under pressure that would match their talents.
On Sunday night they delivered. They smashed an 84-runs partnership in only six overs. Klaasen hit six 6s and ten 4s to bring up his maiden T20 century and SA20’s second after Faf du Plessis’.
The pair lived up to what Breetzke spoke about earlier in the week. The 24-year-old emphasized how they would “give it their all” to qualify and how they still had “a lot to play for”.
They certainly gave it their all and the scoreboard reflected their efforts as they scored the SA20’s highest total, 254-4 in their allotted 20 overs.
With ball in hand Durban’s Super Giants matched the batting effort as they got rid of the dangerous Phil Salt in the second over of the Capitals’ innings. Left-armer, Reece Topley accounted for his fellow Englishman.
Junior Dala and Dwaine Pretorius had four wickets between them at the nineth over mark, the Super Giant’s bowlers conceding 63 runs.
It was downhill from there as the two bowlers wrapped up the tail cheaply, securing a bonus point victory for the Durbanites. Most importantly, hopes are still alive and hang on Tuesday’s encounter between the Paarl Royals and the Capitals.
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