Cricket
Sunrisers Eastern Cape Dominate Durban Super Giants To Clinch Back To Back SA20 Titles
Marco Jansen took a five-wicket haul as the Sunrisers Eastern Cape won back-to-back SA20 League titles when they wiped the floor with the Durban Super Giants in a one-sided final.
Marco Jansen took a five-wicket haul as the Sunrisers Eastern Cape won back-to-back SA20 League titles when they wiped the floor with the Durban Super Giants in a one-sided final at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday night.
It was the perfect game for the Sunrisers, as they put the ribbon on a marvelous campaign with a dominating win over the Super Giants, who seemed to wilt under pressure in the showpiece match.
After a dominant performance with the bat, which saw the Sunrisers score an imposing 204/3, their much-vaunted bowling attack dismissed the Sunrisers for just 115 in 17 overs.
As per usual, the Sunrisers put a price on their wickets, batting at a steady tempo at the start of their innings before going on the charge towards the back end.
Partnerships were essential for the Sunrisers, with a 90-run stand between Tom Abell (55 off 34 balls, 8x4, 2x6) and Jordan Hermann (42 off 26 balls) setting the platform for the assault at the end.
Captain Aiden Markram (42 not out off 26 balls) and Tristan Stubbs (56 off 30 balls, 4x4, 3x6) provided the fireworks at the death with a stand of 98 off 55 balls, as the Sunrisers took advantage of their wickets in the bank.
The Sunrisers then came out fighting with the ball, striking three blows in the power play with almost no counter punches to take the upperhand..
Dan Worrall got the big wicket of Quinton de Kock, before Marco Jansen (5/30) and Patrick Kruger combined twice in the fourth over to send Jon Jon Smuts and Bhanuka Rajapaksa back to the pavilion.
Wiaan Mulder tried to steady the Super Giants’ ship with 38 off 22 balls, but didn’t have any support to try and get back in the contest.
In the end, the Sunrisers were deserved winners of the SA20 League after also finishing top of the standings.
John Goliath is a copywriter and editor with 20 years' experience in the sports media industry. John, a Tottenham Hotspur tragic, studied journalism in the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and has worked for two of the biggest media houses in South Africa.