JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, CMC – Cameos from West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers went in vain as Faf du Plessis plundered an unbeaten hundred to fire Joburg Super Kings to a comprehensive eight-wicket win over Durban Super Giants here yesterday.
Holder, a former Test captain, belted a 12-ball unbeaten 28 down the order while Mayers struck a 15-ball 28 at the top of the order as Super Giants rattled up 178 for six from their 20 overs at the Wanderers.
Heinrich Klaasen top-scored with 65 from 48 balls with seven fours.
Both West Indies fast bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Romario Shepherd went wicket-less, 22-year-old South African pacer Gerald Coetzee (3-21) and Sri Lankan off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana (3-30), also 22, leading the attack.
Du Plessis then turned the game on its head in spectacular fashion, pummeling a superb unbeaten 113 from 58 deliveries, to erase any chance of a Super Giants win.
He counted eight fours and eight sixes, energising an opening stand of 157 with Reeza Hendricks who made 45 from 46 balls with four fours and two sixes.
Mayers, who took the new ball, was miserly in two overs which cost six runs but it was the opposite for Holder whose two overs gushed 31 runs.
Sent in, Mayers gave Super Giants a flying start, lashing two fours and three sixes as he put on 33 for the first wicket with captain Quinton de Kock (6).
Theekshana (3-30) struck twice to reduce the innings to 46 for three in the fifth over before Klaasen counted seven fours as he added a crucial 75 for the fourth wicket with Matthew Breetzke (28).
With the win, Super Kings consolidated their position in fourth on 13 points while Super Giants continued bottom with eight points.