Hermann launches SEC to challenging total

Jordan Hermann struck his third half-century to help the Sunrisers Eastern Cape post 186-4 four against the Paarl Royals in a Betway SA20 clash at Boland Park in Paarl on Saturday.

Quinton de Kock (42) and Englishman Jonny Bairstow (31) had given the visitors a solid foundation after Tristan Stubbs had won the toss and elected to bat first under hot and windy conditions.

Three quick wickets saw the Sunrisers slip to 89-3 in the 12th over but Hermann and Matthew Breetzke (31) crafted a solid 72-run stand for the fourth wicket from just 45 balls to set the stage for a tension-filled chase.

De Kock, who faced 24 balls, striking three fours and two maximums, looked his old-self while Bairstow was a little bit more content to play second-fiddle.

Bairstow struck five boundaries from 33 balls and was the first wicket to fall, being caught by David Miller at wide mid-on from the bowling of Ottneil Baartman (4-0-2-40).

Marco Jansen was sent up the order and the tall allrounder managed just eight runs from 11 deliveries, finding the boundary once, before being castled by Bjorn Fortuin (4-0-32-1).

De Kock fell shortly thereafter, pulling Delano Potgieter (4-0-38-1) straight to Lhuan-dre Pretorius on the mid-wicket fence.

Breezte and Hermann then set about rebuilding the innings, turning singles into twos and putting pressure on both the fielders and the bowlers.

Breeztke struck two fours and a six before being bowled by Baartman, after being given a life by Rubin Hermann on the long-on fence from the bowling of Mujeeb Ur Rahman (4-0-33-0) when on 27.

Once Breetzke departed, Hermann went on the ultra-offensive, taking 22 runs off the final over bowled by Potgieter.

Hermann struck five fours and four maximums to end unbeaten on 62 from only 28 balls while Stubbs watched from the other end on two not out.

PAARL ROYALS: Vishen Halambage, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Asa Tribe, Rubin Hermann, Kyle Verreynne (wk), David Miller (capt), Delano Potgieter, Bjorn Fortuin, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Nqobani Mokoena, Ottneil Baartman.

SUNRISERS EASTERN CAPE: Jonny Bairstow, Quinton de Kock (wk), Matthew Breetzke, Jordan Hermann, Tristan Stubbs (capt), Marco Jansen, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Adam Milne, Tharindu Ratnayake, Lewis Gregory.