Durban Super Giants beat table-toppers Pretoria Capitals by 151 runs for a bonus point victory and kept their dreams of making the semifinals alive with to Heinrich Klaasen’s magnificent century. As DSG recorded a tournament-best score of 254/4 from their 20 overs before dismissing Capitals for only 103 in the 14th over to move to 19 points, Klaasen’s 44-ball blitzkrieg contained 10 boundaries and six sixes. They are still in a perilous position at fifth place in the six-team table, praying that other outcomes will go their way so that they can advance to the knockout rounds.
When given the opportunity to bat first, the DSG openers sprinted to a 76-run partnership in the first six overs before being split apart. Ben McDermott (41 off 24) and Quinton de Kock (43 off 20 balls), the captains, were each at the peak of their brutality as they each blasted five boundaries and three sixes to give DSG a flying start. To give the Capitals a much-needed breakthrough, Jimmy Neesham caught the Durban skipper off his own bowling, but they were in much more difficulty.
Despite a few of quick wickets at the other end, Klaasen swiftly recovered in his unbeaten performance, putting on a 52-run partnership with Wiaan Mulder, who only scored nine runs at a run-a-ball pace. Klaasen and Matthew Breetzke joined forces for the final six overs and displayed excellent death-over batting by scoring a whopping 84 runs in an uninterrupted fifth-wicket stand. In addition, Breetzkes’ innings included three sixes in addition to five boundaries, much like the openers.
The massive 255-run chase never got underway for the Capitals. Up to three of the top four players received starts but failed to contribute; the best of them was Rilee Rossouw with 18 off 12; Eathan Bosch led the scoring with a cameo of 23 at no. 9 as Capitals were dismissed for a pitiful 103 with one ball remaining in the 14th over. The best bowler was Junior Dala, who took three significant wickets for 33 runs in just four overs.
