CENTURION: Pretoria Capitals and Paarl Royals served up a thrilling SA20 run-fest at a sold-out Centurion on Sunday, with David Miller, Rilee Rossouw and Will Jacks scoring big.
The locals streamed through the turnstiles for the Capitals’ first home match of season two in anticipation of their team claiming their first victory of the competition.
Unfortunately, it was not to be with the Royals doing ‘the double’ over the Capitals with the visitors clinching a tense 10-run victory. The Royals were also victorious on Friday evening at Boland Park.
The Royal seamers’ experience proved to be the difference on a day as they restricted the Capitals to 200/7 in response to their 210/3.
Lungi Ngidi set the tone upfront with two wickets in the first over of the Capitals’ run chase when he removed both Phil Salt (0) and Theunis de Bruyn (4) before returning at the death to claim a further two wickets to finish with figures of 4/39.
But it was West Indies international Obed McCoy (1/30) who showed his immense value by holding his nerve during a frenetic final over. McCoy was tasked with defending just 14 runs off the last six deliveries.
But that was only the beginning of the drama, with McCoy suffering from severe cramps, which required assistance from the Royals medical team after each delivery.
The left-armer showed great character to close out the over as he delivered a mixture of slower balls and cutters that deceived Capitals tailender Hardus Viljoen (10*).
The match was in the balance throughout, with Rilee Rossouw (82 off 45 balls, 10 fours, four sixes) and Will Jacks (58 off 34 balls, six fours, three sixes) spearheading the Capitals’ chase with a partnership of 147 off only 77 balls.
It was a SA20 record for any wicket at Centurion, eclipsing the 141-run partnership that David Miller and Mitchell van Buuren had put together for the Royals earlier in the day.
Miller and Van Buuren were excellent for the Royals after opener Jos Buttler (39 in 23 balls, with five fours and a six) had set the platform.
Van Buuren, in particular, showed how much he has matured since season one with a rollicking 72 not out in 40 balls (seven fours, three sixes).
It is not often that Royals captain Miller (75*, eight fours, three sixes) plays second fiddle in a partnership, but he was content to play the supporting role until he exploded in the final over when he struck Eathan Bosch for three sixes.
Miller’s last over-pyrotechnics ultimately preserved the Royals’ unbeaten start to season two. (ANI)