A packed stadium, an AB de Villiers show, Tabraiz Shamsi magic and a phone call, a local hero Henry Davids wins it and a small-town team Paarl Rocks lifts the trophy.
A sold-out crowd in Paarl were treated to a spectacle. For a neutral, it was the perfect finale.
The Boland faithful were treated to an AB de Villiers show as he notched up yet another half-century which was instrumental in his side’s below-par total of 147/6.
He was however dropped on 21, but you can’t drop a guy of his calibre, he will make you pay for it and he did.
Isuru Udana picked up figures of 2/24. The use of a slower delivery did the trick as the Sri Lankan picked up the wicket of the dangerous Tony de Zorzi early before he could tee off and also got the key wicket of AB de Villiers for 51 at a crucial time.
Henry Davids played a superb knock that lured the Paarl Rocks to a comprehensive 8-wicket victory with 34 balls remaining. He scored the fastest fifty of the MSL off just 22 balls. The local boy from Pniel got the Rocks off to a perfect start after being 72 without loss in the powerplay.
He was awarded the Player of the Match for his unbeaten on (77* off 44 balls) which included 8 fours and 4 sixes.
Davids wasn’t alone. His partner of destruction was Dwaine Pretorius, who showed his amazing finishing ability smashing four sixes and a four for his 21-ball 43.
This complimented the amazing news that he received his second call up to the Proteas Test side.
Kerwin Mungroo (1/21) and Tabraiz Shamsi (2/29) deserve a mention as well, the Rocks bowlers set up the victory with great spells by the pair.
The former, who opened the bowling and bowled in the death only conceded 21 runs vs an explosive batting attack. He kept things tight at the beginning of his spell and when he returned to finish his 4-over quota he picked up the wicket of David Wiese and there was a run out in the last over too.
The latter picked up the wickets of Dean Elgar for 22 and Heinrich Klaasen for 21 to end with figures of 2/29 that took his wicket tally to 16 for the tournament. Ending as the second-highest wicket-taker behind his spin twin, Imran Tahir from the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants.
Isuru Udana also did not disappoint, he was the one to dismiss AB de Villiers.
The celebration from the players showed how much it meant to each and every one of them, with some players getting emotional when they saw how much it meant to the crowd.
Photo: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix
