Imran Tahir, Jon-Jon Smuts and Chris Morris starred in Port Elizabeth as the Jozi Stars’ quality batting lineup were left stunned, writes Ongama Gcwabe.
A clinical bowling performance from the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants as a collective, but captain Jon-Jon Smuts, Imran Tahir and Chris Morris stole the show with the ball.
The Jozi Stars got through the first powerplay without losing a wicket but the Bay Giants managed to reduced them to only 43 runs.
With Reeza Hendricks and the Universe Boss Chris Gayle still at the crease, one would say a target of 168 runs was fair game for the explosive openers.
“We did think we had a chance (to chase the total) although the run-rate kept sneaking away from us,” said Reeza Hendricks who managed to score his second half-century.
“If we had capitalised with one over, it would’ve increased the run-rate.”
In his first over, Smuts removed Gayle and kept the Stars’ run-rate well under six an over.
Smuts finished with figures of 1-31, conceding only one four and one six in his spell.
Tahir and Morris also had a good opening match as they finished with figures of 1-24 and 1-20 respectively.
“I think Immy (Imran Tahir) again showed his experience, we couldn’t counteract him really. I think he bowled really well as well as Jon-Jon Smuts, that’s probably where they tied down the game a little bit,” Hendricks concluded.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Giants won the match by 24 runs
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Photo: Nelson Mandela Bay Giants/Twitter
