By David Knowles.
The Sunrisers Eastern Cape secured the important second spot on the Betway SA20 standings with a comprehensive 44-run win against the Paarl Royals at Boland Park, Paarl, on Friday evening, bagging a bonus point for their effort.
Chasing 209 to win, the Royals suffered their third successive loss, losing their way after a strong start in the competition, finishing on 164 for seven. Other than being ahead in the powerplay when the two England professionals Jason Roy and Joss Buttler were at the wicket, they battled to dominate and put together any partnerships worthy of challenging the target.
Credit to the Royals though, for coming out to bat with purpose. Roy and Buttler got stuck into the Sunrisers’ bowlers, smashing 63 in the powerplay, the highest powerplay score at Boland Park in the tournament this season.
Roy departed at 68, his 32 from 23 balls (1×4, 3×6), setting the stage for Royals captain David Miller to conjure some magic as he came to the wicket somewhat out of his usual position, batting at three. Buttler continued to pose a threat, reaching his fourth fifty of the competition from 34 balls, but once he perished, caught by countryman Tom Abell at long on for 64 from 45 balls (6×4, 2×6), resistance crumbled as the Royals succumbed to 164 for seven, handing the Sunrisers an important win.
At 84 for one after 10 overs, it was definitely game on, but Sunrisers spinners Simon Harmer and Liam Dawson plugged the scoring, applying pressure with some lean overs, forcing the Royals batsmen to hit out and thus lose wickets.
Other than Buttler and Roy’s contributions, the next best was 14 from Miller and 13 from Lungi Ngidi as the rest of the batsmen failed to reach double figures. Of the five bowlers used by the Sunrisers, Dawson (2-27), Marco Jansen (2-34) and Beyers Swanepoel (2-37) in their completed four overs, were the most successful.
Earlier, Sunrisers captain Aiden Markram won the toss and opted to bat on a hot, steamy afternoon. On a pitch that looked to offer some pace and bounce, the first 10 overs saw the Royals bowlers hold sway, restricting the Sunrisers to 69 for one at the halfway mark.
However, a masterstroke in having eventual Man of the Match Marco Jansen walk in at four paid huge dividends as he compiled a brilliant, undefeated 71 from 31 balls (4×4, 6×6), sharing an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 87 from 28 balls with Tristan Stubbs (22 not out) from 10 balls.
At the top of the order, Jordan Hermann (36) and Tom Abell (46) added 77 for the second wicket from 53 balls and it was only in the final five overs that the Royals lost their way as they conceded 89 runs. The final three overs were diabolical as the Royals bowlers completely lost the plot, giving away wides, no balls and free hits as they attempted to control the powerful hitting. Six bowlers were used, Evan Jones, having his first outing of the competition, getting 2-51 and spinners Wihan Lubbe and Tabraiz Shamsi getting one apiece.
These teams meet at St George’s Park on Sunday, where the Royals will want to break their losing streak. Miller acknowledged his side were in the game until the last few overs of the Sunrisers’ innings, while Markram was proud of how his men had worked well as a unit thus far in defence of their title won in last year’s inaugural competition.
Paarl Royals: Jason Roy, Jos Buttler (wkt), Wihan Lubbe, David Miller (capt), Mitchell Van Buuren, Dane Vilas, Evan Jones, Bjorn Fortuin, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Obed McCoy
Sunrisers Eastern Cape: Dawid Malan, Jordan Hermann, Tom Abell, Aiden Markram (capt), Tristan Stubbs (wkt), Patrick Kruger, Marco Jansen, Liam Dawson, Beyers Swanepoel, Simon Harmer, Daniel Worrall.