Star batter Dewald Brevis smashed an unbeaten 70 to take MI Cape Town to a comfortable eight-wicket win against the Paarl Royals in the Betway SA20 opening match at Six Gun Grill Newlands last evening.
Chasing 143 to win, Brevis and opener Ryan Rickelton put on a stunning 90-run partnership that took the game away from the Paarl Royals at a sold-out Newlands.
Rickelton made a valiant 42 off 33 balls (hitting five fours and a six) before he was bowled by uncapped Ramon Simmonds (1/32).
Codi Yusuf (1/33) then struck as he got Sam Curran to hit the ball straight to David Miller in the deep and walked for 20 off 16 balls.
Brevis continued to prove his worth in the T20 space, as the 19-year-old played a devastating knock of 70 not out off 41 balls, including four fours and five sixes.
The Paarl Royals bowling attack had no answer to Brevis’ antics as MI Cape Town easily got over the line with 27 balls remaining in the game and got their Betway SA20 campaign off to a great start. Earlier in the day, England fast bowler Jofra Archer returned to competitive action in style as he took three for 27 in his four overs.
The Paarl Royals could only score 142-7 thanks to a half-century by opener Jos Buttler. After being sent to bat first, Archer bowled a fiery spell and struck in his first over to pick up the first wicket of the Betway SA20.
Archer, who had not played competitively in 17 months, got opener Wihan Lubbe to top-edge high in the air, with George Linde taking a spectacular running catch from mid-on to dismiss the opener for three.
Seamer Duan Jansen struck in his opening over as Jason Roy swung high and top-edged high in the air as MI Cape Town skipper Rashid Khan ran in from mid-on to dismiss Roy for a run-a-ball 13.
The hosts continued to pick up wickets at regular intervals as Olly Stone was brought into the attack and got the wicket of Dane Vilas with his second ball.
Vilas swung and missed, and Stone dislodged his middle stump to see the Royals batter walking for six.
Things stabilised somehow with a 48-run partnership between opener Jos Buttler and David Miller before Stone struck again.
Buttler, who played a tentative innings after the loss of the three quick wickets, brought up his T20 half-century for the Royals as he scored 51 off 42 balls (hitting six fours and a six).
However, his fellow countryman Stone got the better of the T20 World Cup-winning captain as Buttler was undone by a full toss that took his middle stump.
Skipper Miller continued to pile on the runs but eventually was caught in the deep for 42 off 31 balls off the bowling of Archer. The following delivery, Archer got Ferisco Adams for a golden duck as he slapped the ball straight to Ryan Rickelton at extra cover.
Former England World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan made a handy 19 off 15 balls before he was run out off the final delivery of the innings and the Royals ended on 142-7.
MI CAPE TOWN: Rassie van er Dussen, Grant Roelofsen, Dewald Brevis, Ryan Rickelton, Delona Potgieter, George Linde, Sam Curran, Rashid Khan (captain), Duan Jansen, Olly Stone, Jofra Archer.
PAARL ROYALS: Jos Buttler, Jason Roy, Wihan Lubbe, David Miller (captain), Eoin Morgan, Dane Vilas, Fersico Adams, Bjorn Fortuin, Ramon Simmons, Codi Yusuf, Tabraiz Shamsi. (Reprinted from SA20League)