Jozi Stars suffer sixth consecutive defeat in Mzansi Super League
ILLOVO – Local cricket franchise suffers sixth loss in a row in the Mzansi Super League.
The Jozi Stars snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when they suffered their sixth defeat in a row in the Mzansi Super League.
Last year’s tournament winners, this year they are without a win, bottom of the table and now unable to reach the knockout stages of the tournament.
The latest loss came at home at the Imperial Wanderers Stadium to their Gauteng rivals Tshwane Spartans on a hot 24 November.
Fans still came in their numbers despite Stars’ poor performance so far and the atmosphere was as vibrant as ever at the Bullring.
The Spartans won the toss and chose to bat first. However, the Stars’ pace bowlers had the batsmen in trouble early with Kagiso Rabada and Lizaad Williams hardly giving any runs away, which led to the early wickets of Theunis de Bruyn (0), Roelof van der Merwe (5) and Dean Elgar (18), largely from loose shots played from built pressure.
However, AB de Villiers mustered the Tshwane troops behind him with an excellent 53 off 33 balls and was supported by Pite van Biljoen (45 off 29) to take the total to 155/6 after 20 overs.
West Indian cricket legend, Chris Gayle played an almost perfect inning for the Jozi Stars in reply. His 54 runs off 27 balls including 48 runs in boundaries with four sixes and six fours. It was a brutal knock that saw the Spartan bowlers carted all around the ground.
Things looked done and dusted for Jozi Stars but Englishman Tom Curran and former Proteas player Morné Morkel took three wickets each and left the Stars’ supposedly best batsmen subdued and frantic for runs.
Much praise should also be given to Spartans bowler Van der Merwe for his two wickets and only giving 11 runs away in three overs.
This led to more wickets falling and the collapse of the Stars to 135 all out in 13.5 overs.
What looked like an easy win for the Stars turned into a 20-run loss and a cherry on top of the cake of misery for the home side.
Related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/215562/jozi-stars-lose-out-to-paarl-rocks-under-tough-weather-conditions/
