Rickelton carries MI Cape Town to victory over Paarl Royals

Picking up an important victory as the SA20 campaign approaches the halfway stage, MI Cape Town secured an eight-wicket win over log leaders Paarl Royals at Newlands on Friday evening.

Set a target of 173 runs, the hosts took control of their innings from the start and never looked to be in any trouble as they reached 175/2 with 19 balls to spare, handing the high-flying Royals their first defeat of the competition.

Already the tournament’s top run-scorer, Ryan Rickelton extended his lead at the top of the charts, hitting an unbeaten 94 runs for the Cape Town side.

Rickelton combined with Rassie van der Dussen in an 80-run partnership for the first wicket, and after Van der Dussen was removed by Tabraiz Shamsi for 41 runs in the ninth over, Rickelton carried their team to victory.

The in-form opener compiled his fourth straight half-century, facing 52 deliveries and smashing seven fours and six sixes in the process.

Royals innings

Earlier, after being sent in to bat, Jason Roy and Jos Buttler laid a solid foundation for the Royals.

The opening pair shared an explosive 62-run stand for the first wicket, facing just 27 balls between them as they made full use of the powerplay.

The hosts managed to get a breakthrough in the fifth over, however, when Roy gifted a catch to Van der Dussen off a Kagiso Rabada delivery. Roy contributed 38 off just 14 deliveries in a quickfire innings which featured five sixes.

Buttler went on to make 46 runs off 31 balls before he too was removed in the 13th over, leaving his team in a solid position with 107 runs on the board and six wickets in hand.

But the Cape Town side managed to strangle the rest of the line-up, keeping the run rate down, and while there were cameo knocks by Mitchell van Buuren (28) and David Miller (20), the visitors were prevented from building any more significant partnerships.

Wrist-spinner Thomas Kaber was the best of the bowlers, returning 3/20 from his four overs, as the Royals were contained to 172/8.

While MI Cape Town climbed to third place in the SA20 standings, the Paarl outfit slipped to second position, trailing Durban’s Super Giants on net run rate.