In-form Super Giants crush struggling Super Kings to stay unbeaten

Durban’s Super Giants extended their lead at the top of the SA20 league table with a 37-run victory over strugglers Joburg Super Kings at Kingsmead on Monday night.

Set a target of 146 runs to win, the Super Kings never really got going as their woes continued in the early stages of the campaign.

Opening batter Reeza Hendricks, who made 38 runs, and England international Moeen Ali, who hit 36, top scored for the Joburg team but they did not receive enough support from the rest of the line-up.

Seam bowlers Reece Topley (3/19) and Richard Gleeson (2/22) combined well with spinner Keshav Maharaj (2/17) to lead the home side’s attack as they restricted the visitors to 108/9.

Super Kings innings

Earlier, after winning the toss and choosing to bat, the home team’s top order collapsed as the Super Kings’ frontline attack had the Super Giants reeling at 34/4 in the seventh over.

Middle-order batter Heinrich Klaasen stuck his heels in, however, launching a fight back as he smashed 64 runs off 41 balls (including seven fours and two sixes) before he was removed with the penultimate ball of the innings.

Klaasen shared 39 runs with Keemo Paul (17) for the fifth wicket and combined in a 38-run partnership with Nicholas Pooran (15) for the sixth wicket as he carried his team to 145/8.

In a well-rounded assault with the ball, five Super Kings bowlers took wickets, with Lizaad Williams standing out by returning 4/26 from his four overs. The 30-year-old seamer grabbed four wickets in an innings for the third time in his lengthy T20 career.

But it was not enough in the end, as the Super Giants picked up their third straight win of the competition, stretching their lead at the top of the first-round standings.

The Super Kings, meanwhile, were left stranded in fifth position, failing to secure a victory from their first three results which have included two losses and one abandoned fixture.