By Ross Roche.
Heinrich Klaasen smashed a superb unbeaten century to power Durban’s Super Giants to the biggest ever T20 score at SuperSport Park in Centurion, as they reached 254/4 in their 20 overs of their Betway SA20 match against the Pretoria Capitals on Sunday night.
It is the highest score in the SA20 so far and Klassen’s 104 off 44 balls (10×4; 6×6) was the quickest century hit in the competition as well, as records tumbled during a brilliant innings.
Klaasen and Matthew Breetzke, 46no off 21 balls (5×4; 3×6), shared in a wonderful unbeaten 84-run fifth-wicket stand to take advantage of the great foundation laid by the top order.
Knowing that their only chance of qualifying for the SA20 semis is a huge bonus-point win over the table toppers, the Super Giants played with reckless abandon from the start of the innings which set them up for the massive score.
Their innings got off to a flying start as openers Quinton de Kock, 43 off 20 balls (5×4; 3×6) and Ben McDermott, 41 off 24 (5×3; 3×6) crunched 76 runs in the powerplay.
It was actually a good first over from the Capitals Irish import Josh Little, who conceded just one run off it, only to see the next five overs flayed to all parts of the ground as the second went for 15, third for 18, fourth for 14, fifth for 17 and the sixth for 11.
Both openers were tucking into the bowling, with De Kock favouring the leg side as all three of his sixes sailed over the leg side boundary, while McDermott was finding joy straight down the ground.
The first ball after the powerplay saw the breakthrough as Jimmy Neesham produced another blinding catch, this time off his own bowling in his follow through as De Kock punched the ball powerfully back at him, with him sticking out a hand to take it brilliantly low to the ground.
Klaasen then strode out, and along with McDermott they kept the momentum going with a 40-run stand off 20 balls, as they cruised past the hundred run mark.
Migael Pretorius then threatened to derail the Super Giants with a double strike in the 10th over as he had McDermott caught by Neesham, and then had new man David Willey (1) edging behind to keeper Phil Salt with them on 118/3 at the halfway mark.
Wiaan Mulder (9) then came to the crease and was a virtual spectator as Klaasen took centre stage, dominating a 52-run partnership off 24 balls, as he slammed his way past his 50.
Mulder was the caught by another stupendous one-handed effort from Neesham off the bowling of Little, leaving them on 170/4, which brought Breetzke in to help Klaasen cash in on the back end.
Going into the final over of the innings Klaasen was stuck at the non-strikers end still four short of his century.
Breetzke faced the first three balls, but with him dropped off the fourth it gave Klaasen the strike and he responded in kind by hammering the fifth straight back over bowler Pretorius head for a huge six to reach three figures in deserved style.
PRETORIA CAPITALS: Phil Salt (wk), Kusal Mendis, Theunis de Bruyn (capt), Rilee Rossouw, Colin Ingram, Jimmy Neesham, Senuran Muthusamy, Migael Pretorius, Eathan Bosch, Daryn Dupavillon, Josh Little
DURBAN’S SUPER GIANTS: Quinton de Kock (capt), Ben Mcdermott, Matthew Breetzke, David Willey, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Keemo Paul, Wiaan Mulder, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Reece Topley, Junior Dala.
Meanwhile Joburg Super Kings captain Faf du Plessis showed his class and experience with a match-winning 92 from 61 balls (7×4, 4×6) on a difficult Wanderers pitch to set his side up for a 24-run win in the SA20 clash against the Sunrisers Eastern Cape and qualification for the playoffs.