Table-toppers Pretoria Capitals continued their strong start in the first SA20 season by defeating the Durban Super Giants with precision in Kingsmead to earn a bonus point victory. This was their fourth victory in five games. Will Jacks struck an explosive half-century to help the visitors defeat the target in 7.4 overs after the visitors’ in-form bowling attack reduced Durban to 80, the lowest total of the competition.
In circumstances where he anticipated facing swing and seam, Durban Super Giants captain Quinton de Kock chose to bat first. The pitch offered grip and was slightly sticky. In the end, though, the hosts were unable to push themselves to make a score that would be competitive enough to make all of these obstacles relevant for the second half of the innings. Once Kyle Mayers was caught by Wayne Parnell with the opening pitch of the game, everything fell apart.
Explore the scorecard of the match between Capitals and Super Giants.
By the fourth over, Durban was three down for 20, with Anrich Nortje removing de Kock and Parnell adding the other opener, Wiaan Mulder. Heinrich Klaasen, the tournament’s leading run-getter, and Jason Holder put up a brief fight after that before the Capitals unleashed their spinners to cause mayhem. Holder, Christiaan Jonker, and Dwaine Pretorius were fired by Senuran Muthusamy, while Adil Rashid fired Klaasen for 31. That was the icing on the cake for Durban when Nortje and Eathan Bosch came back to sweep up the mess.
Even though Mayers made up for his first-ball dismissal by removing the in-form Phil Salt off the first pitch of the second innings, there was no turning back after such a batting display. Will Jacks, the second Englishman in the Capitals’ lineup, threatened to end the chase inside the PowerPlay by raining boundaries on the hosts. Prior to being dismissed for a 25-ball 56, Jacks racked up five fours and four sixes. But after such a commanding performance, the Pretoria Capitals were going to get their bonus point.
