Paarl Royals climb to summit of SA20 log with victory over Super Kings

The Paarl Royals picked up their third straight win on Monday, climbing to top spot in the SA20 table with a six-wicket victory over the Joburg Super Kings at Boland Park.

Set a target of 147 runs to win, the Royals got off to an explosive start in the first few overs of their run chase.

They were then pinned back by a superb spell from experienced fast bowler Hardus Viljoen, who took 2/23 to lead the Super Kings attack.

But the hosts never really lost control, and Mitchell van Buuren (44 off 45) paired up with captain David Miller in a 71-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Miller went unbeaten, contributing 40 not out off 32 deliveries and carrying his team to 150/4 as they wrapped up the win with five balls to spare.

Super Kings innings

Earlier, after being sent in to bat, the Super Kings experienced a top-order collapse, with Royals spinner Bjorn Fortuin leading the attack as the visitors found themselves reeling at 36/4 in the seventh over of their innings.

The Joburg side were stabilised by a 36-run stand for the fifth wicket between Jonny Bairstow and Sibonelo Makhanya, before Makhanya was run out for 17 runs with a little more than six overs remaining.

Bairstow then combined with all-rounder Donovan Ferreira in a 67-run partnership for the sixth wicket, which was only broken with three balls left in the innings when Bairstow was dismissed for 60 runs off 40 balls after Miller took a blinding catch off a Dayyaan Galiem delivery.

Ferreira finished on 32 not out, as the visiting team reached 146/6, which would ultimately prove short.

League standings

Picking up their fourth win in five matches, the Royals rose to the summit of the table on 16 points. They were two points ahead of second-placed MI Cape Town.

The Super Kings, who were handed their second straight defeat, remained third in the standings on 10 points.

The Royals will face Durban’s Super Giants in their next match at Kingsmead on Thursday, and the Super Kings will turn out against Sunrisers Eastern Cape in Gqeberha on Friday.