MI Cape Town are in the SA20 final for the very first time, courtesy of multiple bite-sized but crucial contributions with both bat and ball.
Ryan Rickelton and Rassie van der Dussen got MICT off to a pleasant start in the first half of the innings. They were particularly severe on Bjorn Fortuin’s left arm spin and express pacer Kwena Maphaka. However, the Paarl Royals managed to slightly pull things back when they dismissed both openers in consecutive overs.
The bounceback continued when Afghanistan recruit Sediqullah Atal nicked off while attempting a reverse sweep. As a result, it was back to rebuilding for Dewald Brevis and George Linde.
Linde hit three towering maximums, but Fortuin had his revenge when he took a catch from his own bowling to close out the 15th over.
Thereafter, it was advantage MICT as Delano Potgieter arrived and added 74 runs alongside Brevis. Both players initially began slowly, but provided the late kick that their team badly needed.
PR had 200 to chase down, and things got off to a rocky start. Lhuan-dre Pretorius hit two fours and a six in the first over, only to edge behind off Kagiso Rabada in the very next over. Rabada’s economical spell was the point of difference and the asking rate continued to creep up.
David Miller tried his level best with a 26-ball 45, but the early wickets placed too much pressure on the skipper. Following his dismissal, it was a walk in the park for the Capetonians.
Corbin Bosch returns to claim the final wicket in what was a brilliant all-round display.
It’s not the end of the tournament for the Royals, as they’re waiting to face the winner of the eliminator between the Joburg Super Kings and the Sunrisers Eastern Cape.
Photo: SportzPics