JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, CMC – Out-of-favour West Indies all-rounder Keemo Paul put the finishing touch on a commanding, bonus-point 151-run win for Durban Super Giants against Pretoria Capitals in the SA20 yesterday.
His fellow Guyanese Romario Shepherd also played a supporting role for Joburg Super Kings after former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis took centre stage again to power them to a 24-run win against Eastern Cape and into the semi-finals.
At SuperSport Park: Paul grabbed the final wicket of Daryn Dupavillon for five in an unsuccessful chase of 255 for the Capitals to formalise the result with 37 balls remaining in the contest.
Paul ended with 1-4 in five balls, after he delivered a short ball outside the off-stump, and Dupavillon went for a cut, but he got a thick edge, and the ball flew to third man, where England international David Willey held a smart catch, and the table-leading Capitals were bowled out for 103.
Junior Dala was the pick of the Super Giants’ bowlers with 3-33, while Dwaine Pretorius took 2-20 and fellow South Africa international pacer Wiaan Mulder claimed 2-17.
Super Giants moved to 19 points on the log, but they were unable to surpass Sunrisers Eastern Cape on net run rate.
Eastern Cape now join the Capitals and Joburg Super Kings in the semi-finals, and Super Giants will await the result of the final preliminary match on Tuesday at Centurion between Capitals and Paarl Royals, who also have 19 points, for their fate to be decided.
Earlier, South Africa international Heinrich Klaasen produced an innings for the ages to keep the Super Giants hopes of progressing alive.
Klaasen royally entertained the Centurion crowd with a sparkling 104 not out off only 44 balls, peppering the grass banks with 10 four and six sixes.
Klaasen’s pyrotechnics anchored the Super Giants to 254 for four – the highest score of the inaugural tournament – surpassing the previous mark of 216 that they and the Capitals set previously.
At the Wanderers: Du Plessis, captain of the St Lucia Kings in the last year’s Caribbean Premier League T20, followed up the SA20’s maiden hundred in the previous contest with 92 from 61 balls that included seven fours and four sixes and formed the bedrock of the Super Kings total of 160 for six.
It proved sufficient with the Joburg Super Kings bowling unit that included Shepherd delivering a fine overall performance to restrict Eastern Cape to 136 for nine.
Shepherd scored only two when Super Kings batted, but he bagged a tidy 2-24 from his four overs, and his side took ownership of second in the standings on 22 points.
