Super Kings beat Sunrisers in SA20 thriller

The SA20 has once again delivered a thrilling climax with the Joburg Super Kings lifting themselves off the basement of the Betway SA20 table with a last ball victory over the Sunrisers Eastern Cape at a heaving St George’s Park. 

It was the home side that entered the contest on the back of three successive victories, but instead it was the Super Kings who finally found some form on Saturday evening.

Sunrisers’ seam bowler Sisanda Magala went from hero to villain within a matter of seconds. Magala was tasked with defending eight runs off the final over and was excellent with his first four deliveries by restricting the Super Kings to just three runs. 

This left the Super Kings requiring five runs off the final two deliveries. Unfortunately for Magala, Leus du Plooy squeezed out his fifth delivery for a boundary to level the scores. 

But to add to the drama Magala had over-stepped and the delivery was ruled a no-ball which took the Super Kings home with one ball to spare. 

Du Plooy finished unbeaten on 47 off 40 deliveries that helped the Super Kings pass the Sunrisers’ 127 all out. 

The left-hander had precious little support besides captain Faf du Plessis’ 37.

The victory was though set up by an impressive Super Kings bowling unit that combined spin and pace to devastating effect.

Left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso, who is allowed to bowl after being reported for suspected illegal bowling action earlier in the week, delivered a Player of the Match performance of 4/20. 

Phangiso was excellent from the outset when he removed top-scorer Adam Rossington (40) before getting stuck into the Sunrisers’ dangerous middle-order of Tristan Stubbs (4), JJ Smuts (22) and Marco Jansen (6).

Phangiso’s heroics exposed the Sunrisers’ tail that allowed fast bowler Gerald Coetzee (4/20) to run through it to dismiss the home team for a paltry 127 in 18.4 overs. 

The Sunrisers tried valiantly with the ball through spinners Jon Jon Smuts (1/8) and Roelof van der Merwe (2/16), but it was ultimately in vain.