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Super Giants destroy Capitals to stay in SA20 semifinal hunt

cricket05 February 2023 19:00| © MWP
By:Ross Roche
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Heinrich Klaasen smashed a superb unbeaten century to set Durban’s Super Giants on their way to an incredible 151-run win over the Pretoria Capitals in their Betway SA20 match at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Sunday night.

Going into the game the Super Giants, languishing at fifth on the log, knew they needed a monster bonus-point win over the table-topping Capitals to give them an unlikely chance of qualifying for the competition semifinals, but no one could have guessed what was to follow.

Klaasen’s heroics, smashing an amazing 104 off just 44 balls (10x4; 6x6), helped the Super Giants amass a record 254/4 in their 20 overs, the highest T20 total ever at SuperSport Park, and the biggest SA20 score to date, while his century was also the quickest of the competition.

With an improbable victory target set, the Capitals then wilted under a top bowling performance from the Super Giants, as they crashed to 103 all out.

Junior Dala, 3-33, led the Super Giants bowling effort, while Wiaan Mulder, 2-17, and Dwaine Pretorius, 2-20, backed him up well to help cut through the Capitals batting order.

Lower-order batter Migael Pretorius was the only one to show any sort of fight with a quickfire 13-ball 23, helped his side get over the hundred run mark, but it was scant consolation as only three other batters reached double figures.

Despite the massive win the Super Giants still need the Capitals to do them a big favour in their final pool match by beating the Paarl Royals by a large margin which would allow them to sneak into the semis.

In the first innings Klaasen and Matthew Breetzke, 46no off 21 balls (5x4; 3x6), shared in a wonderful unbeaten 84-run fifth-wicket stand off just 36 balls to take advantage of the great foundation laid by the top order, as they cruised to a huge total.

Their innings got off to a flying start as openers Quinton de Kock, 43 off 20 balls (5x4; 3x6) and Ben McDermott, 41 off 24 (5x3; 3x6), crunched 76 runs in the powerplay.

It was actually a good first over from the Capitals Irish import Josh Little, who conceded just one run off it, only to see the next five overs flayed to all parts of the ground as the second went for 15, third for 18, fourth for 14, fifth for 17 and the sixth for 11.

The first ball after the powerplay saw the breakthrough as Jimmy Neesham produced another blinding catch, this time off his own bowling in his follow through, as De Kock punched the ball powerfully back at him, with him sticking out a hand to take it brilliantly low to the ground.

Klaasen strode out and along with McDermott they kept the momentum going with a 40-run stand off 20 balls, as they cruised past the hundred run mark.

Pretorius threatened to derail the Super Giants with a double strike in the 10th over as he had McDermott caught by Neesham, and new man David Willey (1) edging behind to keeper Phil Salt with them on 118/3 at the halfway mark.

Mulder (9) then came to the crease and was a virtual spectator as Klaasen took centre stage, dominating a 52-run partnership off 24 balls, as he slammed his way past his 50.

Mulder was caught by another stupendous one-handed effort from Neesham off the bowling of Little, leaving them on 170/4, which brought Breetzke in to help Klaasen cash in at the back end.

Going into the final over of the innings Klaasen was stuck at the non-strikers end still four short of his century.

Breetzke kept strike for the first three balls and was then dropped off the fourth, giving Klaasen the strike, and he responded in kind by hammering the fifth ball straight back over bowler Pretorius head for a huge six to reach three figures in deserved style.

PRETORIA CAPITALS: Phil Salt (wk), Kusal Mendis, Theunis de Bruyn (capt), Rilee Rossouw, Colin Ingram, Jimmy Neesham, Senuran Muthusamy, Migael Pretorius, Eathan Bosch, Daryn Dupavillon, Josh Little

DURBAN’S SUPER GIANTS: Quinton de Kock (capt), Ben Mcdermott, Matthew Breetzke, David Willey, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Keemo Paul, Wiaan Mulder, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Reece Topley, Junior Dala

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