SA20: Sunrisers looking for right ‘blueprint’ to get back on track

The Sunrisers Eastern Cape are hoping to find the right “balance” and the correct “blueprint” to get their season back on track after slumping to a third straight defeat on Tuesday in this year’s SA20 league.

The two-time winners of the competition have suffered three big losses so far in 2025. In their opening game against MI Cape Town they lost by 97 runs, in their second outing against Paarl Royals they lost by nine wickets while on Tuesday, against the Pretoria Capitals they lost by six wickets.

Aiden Markram’s team are the only side in the six-team competition yet to pick up a win.

Attacking cricket

Assistant coach Russell Domingo opened up about the Sunrisers’ performances so far and said there was still time for them to catch up and push for a place in the knockout rounds later in the competition.

“We’re still trying to find the right balance,” said Domingo after Tuesday’s defeat. It is one of the reasons the team pushed national Test player David Bedingham up the order to open alongside newcomer to the team, England’s Zak Crawley.

“We’re looking for the right blueprint that works … that is working out when to attack or be more tightly organised up front.”

On Tuesday, the Sunrisers crashed to 26/5 in the seventh over and never recovered. The Pretoria Capitals bowlers used the conditions well, with the wicket having been covered for several days because of all the rain falling in Gauteng.

‘Long competition’

Domingo though said it was important to stay focused on the games ahead of them.

“We know we haven’t played well in our last three games and we’re going to have to make our own luck. We can’t rely on anything else helping us.

“We need to do the basics better. There are seven games to go, it’s a long competition, and hopefully we’ll find something soon.

“We also didn’t start well in season one and two but we found a way, hopefully it’ll happen again now and we’ll get some confidence back.”