Bjorn Fortuin led the way with the ball, restricting Joburg Super Kings to 146/6, which set up a third Paarl Royals’ victory at Boland Park.
The Paarl spinner opened the bowling for his side, striking in his second over with the dismissal of Devon Conway. He delivered an arm-ball, back-of-a-length on middle-leg. Conway tried to play across the line but failed to make contact. The ball crashed into the top of middle and leg. JSK were 18-1 after 2.5 overs.
In his next over, Fortuin flighted it in at the stumps, which enticed Faf du Plessis to attempt to smack him over mid-on, but he found the outside edge into the hands of Mujeeb at short third man. This reduced JSK to 33-2 in 4.6 overs. He finished with 2-22.
This laid the platform for a potential collapse, but they found retribution through Jonny Bairstow (2 fours, 3 sixes) who hit 60 off 40 balls. Donovan Ferreira also played a handy contribution of 32 off 19 (1 four, 2 sixes).
The Paarl Royals chased down the target losing just 3 wickets. Lhuan-dre Pretorius got a good cameo of 27 off 14 balls (4 fours, 1 six) and Rubin Hermann (19).
Mitchell van Buuren and David Miller occupied the crease for most of the chase. The pair strung together 71 off 56 balls, with Van Buuren losing his wicket in the 19th over after a 45-ball 44.
Miller (40 off 32 balls) stuck it out until the end. The skipper ended the game with a maximum in the final over with five balls to spare.
This took the Royals to the top of the table with a six-wicket win.
