Cape Town, Jan 19 (IANS): SA20 delivered a batting bonanza with the two Western Cape teams MI Cape Town and Paarl Royals completing fantastic run chases.
Ater missing a couple of matches, Ryan Rickelton returned to the MI Cape Town line-up and the Season 2 leading run-scorer made an immediate impact with a fabulous 89 off only 39 balls to power the home team to a seven-wicket bonus point victory over Joburg Super Kings, while Joe Root delivered a T20 masterclass to steer the Paarl Royals to an equally thrilling victory by eight wickets over Pretoria Capitals at Centurion.
The ‘El Clasico’ at a sold-out Newlands lived up to all its pre-match hype with the faithful treated to some high-octane cricket.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Joburg Super Kings captain Faf du Plessis led from the front with a superb 61 from just 38 balls (6x4, 3x6). Du Plessis passed 11,000 T20 career runs in the process - the most by any South African batter.
Devon Conway (35 off 31 balls) played the supporting role in the 97-run first-wicket partnership, but a middle-order collapse saw the Super Kings lose four wickets for the addition of just nine runs.
The architect of JSK’s fall was surprisingly brought on by Reeza Hendricks’ (2/11) part-time off spin.
England’s double World Cup winner Jonny Bairstow reignited the JSK innings with 43 not out off only 27 balls to lift the visitors to 172/5.
But it was not nearly enough with Rickelton in sublime form at the same ground he struck a career-best 259 in the second Test against Pakistan just a couple of weeks ago.
The run-chase was given the perfect start through a 70-run opening stand with Rassie van der Dussen (39 off 24 balls) in just 6.4 overs. Van der Dussen’s run out was merely a speed bump, with Rickleton and Hendricks continuing the carnage with a 92-run partnership off only 49 balls.
Hendricks finished unbeaten on 34 as the bonus point was achieved with one ball remaining that set off raucous applause within a vibrant Newlands.
Earlier on Saturday, Root struck 92 not out off 60 balls as the Royals chased down the Capitals’ 212/5 with just two balls to spare.
The former English captain’s innings was a masterpiece of placement, timing, and innovation and showed that a T20 innings can consist of more than just power.
It contained 11 sweetly timed boundaries and two sixes.
The Royals had lost in-form Rising Star Lhuan-dre Pretorius to the first ball of the run-chase - much to the disappointment of the many Royals fans draped in pink spotted all over Centurion.
All it did, though, was to unearth a new Betway SA20 star in Rubin Hermann - elder brother of Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s Jordan.
Rubin Hermann enjoyed a dream Royals debut with a strikingly good 33-ball 56 (5x4, 3x6) forming an explosive 125-run partnership off just 69 balls with Root.
It set up the perfect platform for Royals captain David Miller to close out the game with Root through another unbroken 88-run stand off only 48 balls that secured the valuable four points.
The Capitals will be left wondering how they were not on the victorious side after Will Smeed (54 off 34 balls), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (42 off 29 balls) and Kyle Verreynne (45 off 23 balls) had earlier set up an imposing total.
On a Centurion pitch that resembled a batting paradise, Royals’ mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s 2/28 from his four overs proved to be the difference along with Root’s brilliance on the day.