SA20: This time Durban’s Super Giants do the business at the death

This time Durban’s Super Giants did manage to do the business at the death as they beat MI Cape Town by five wickets with 21 balls to spare in their SA20 match at Newlands on Friday night, West Indians Jason Holder and Keemo Paul seeing them to their tricky target of 153.

Read more: Super Kings hold on to beat Super Giants in SA20 clash

Paul slammed three sixes at the death to transform a nervy finish into a doddle, finishing on 20 not out off eight balls, while the experienced Holder, a former West Indies captain, was calm and composed as he finished on a run-a-ball 11 not out, the pair adding 24 for the sixth wicket.

Another West Indian, Kyle Mayers, ensured that the Super Giants made a great start in the powerplay, his 34 off 23 deliveries lifting them to 60/1 in the first six overs.

Wiaan Mulder (30 off 26) and Heinrich Klaasen (36 off 22) added 56 for the third wicket off 34 balls as they went about nailing down the initiative.

But Cape Town fast bowler Olly Stone (4/28) claimed three quick wickets to throw the match back into the balance, before Paul began swinging for the fences.

Grateful for services of Roelofsen

MI Cape Town, who were sent in to bat, were grateful for the services of young wicketkeeper/batsman Grant Roelofsen, who held their innings together with 52 off 44 balls after a troubled start saw the home team slide to 45/4.

Mayers shone up front with the ball as well, bowling Dewald Brevis for a duck with a tremendous inswinging yorker, and off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen bowled brilliantly to take 2/29 in his four overs.

Read more: Dewald Brevis blasts MI Cape Town to victory as SA20 off to cracking start

His fellow spinner Keshav Maharaj (4-0-27-0) and medium-pacer Holder (4-0-27-1) gave great support as they restricted the scoring very well.

Some big hitting at the end by George Linde, whose 33 off 25 deliveries included a pair of sixes off both Maharaj and Subrayen, and Delano Potgieter, who hit three sixes in his 25 off 11 balls, lifted Cape Town to what seemed a defendable score.

But this time Durban Super Giants kept their cool, admittedly on a pitch that became easier to bat on under lights.