Will Jacks of Pretoria Capitals hits one of his five sixes during the SA20 match against MI Cape Town at Newlands. Picture: SA20/Sportzpics/Gallo Images
The impressive Pretoria Capitals attack restricted MI Cape Town successfully as the log-leaders netted a bonus point victory, triumphing by 52 runs in their SA20 match at Newlands on Monday night.
Having been sent in to bat, Pretoria Capitals exploded out of the blocks and then faded a bit towards the end of their innings to post 182/8. But it was more than enough as MI Cape Town were bowled out for 130 in 18.1 overs. Graham Ford’s Centurion-based team now have a six-point lead at the top of the log.
Tight Pretoria Capitals bowling and better lengths meant MI Cape Town could not get off to the same incredible start that had seen Pretoria Capitals plunder 84 runs in the powerplay, and the home team’s hopes were resting on opener Dewald Brevis, who had taken down World Cup winning leg-spinner Adil Rashid and was starting to find his range with 46 off 30 balls.
Brevis was not nearly as comfortable against the sheer pace of Anrich Nortje though, and the in-form Proteas star removed the young prodigy in the 13th over. Taking pace off the delivery, Nortje deceived Brevis, who was reaching for a drive on the up and spooned a catch to extra cover.
Read more: Dewald Brevis on SA20 experience – ‘I believe I belong here’
That left MI Cape Town on 101-3 and Nortje, who took 3/22 in his four overs, and Wayne Parnell then ripped through the rest of the batting as eight wickets fell for 29 runs. Parnell trapped the home side’s last hope, Rassie van der Dussen, lbw for 24 and ended with 3/14 in 3.1 overs.
MI Cape Town erred hugely by dropping both Pretoria openers, Kusal Mendis and Will Jacks, in the first two overs. They capitalised in spectacular fashion and broke the SA20 record for the best powerplay score, eventually adding 88 runs in seven overs before leg-spinner Rashid Khan brought himself on and had Kusal (29 off 19) caught on the midwicket boundary via a relay catch between Ryan Rickelton and George Linde.
Rashid changed the momentum of the innings with his superb spell of 3/16 in four overs, but it was Odean Smith (4-0-27-2) who claimed the key wicket of Jacks, hitting a hard length and nipping the ball away to have him caught behind. Jacks had blazed a commanding 62 off just 27 balls, battering five sixes.
With Jofra Archer also taking three wickets, the Pretoria Capitals were grateful for the steady hand of Theunis de Bruyn, whose 36 off 26 balls brokered a decent total. Jimmy Neesham scored 22 not out off 18 balls at the death.
Read more: Nortje, Neesham cause industrial-sized JSK collapse as Capitals get revenge
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