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Van der Dussen 91* helps MICT to 158-4 v Paarl Royals

football15 January 2025 17:20| © MWP
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Rassie van der Dussen © PhotoShelter

Rassie van der Dussen’s magnificent 91 not out almost single-handedly pushed the MI Cape Town total to 158-4 after being asked to bat first in their SA20 match against Cape rivals Paarl Royals at Boland Park in Paarl on Wednesday evening.

 

Van der Dussen was measured and composed for the majority of his innings, content to score at a little over a run-a-ball until the 19th over of the innings when he exploded with a brace of fours and sixes against Kwena Maphaka to take 20 runs from the over and transform the total from ‘par’ to ‘challenging.’

Van der Dussen struck five fours and five sixes in the 64 balls he faced having laid a patient platform for his late assault, but there is a chance that his teammates’ similarly cautious, initial approach may have left the visitors a dozen runs short.

Afghan opener Azmatullah Omarzai (13) thick edged seamer Dayyaan Galiem to ‘keeper Dinesh Karthik who dived to take a fine one-handed catch but Van der Dussen added 59 with Reeza Hendricks (30) to steady the innings before Afghan mystery spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman hit the top of Hendricks’s off stump with dazzling carrom ball.

Left-hander George Linde’s promotion to No 4 failed to pay dividends when he missed a slog-sweep against Joe Root’s off-spin and was bowled for 10 from as many balls.

Dewald Brevis, who batted at No 7 in the first derby at Newlands on Monday, appeared at No 5 but quickly disappeared for eight when Mujeeb’s carrom ball once again located the stumps.

Twenty-two-year-old Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage was outstanding on his Royals debut with 4-0-17-0, but Mujeeb was the pick of the attack with 2-27 from his four overs.

The fixture is a ‘rematch’ of the first derby on Monday which MI Cape Town won by 33-runs at Newlands.

PAARL ROYALS: Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Joe Root, Mitchell Van Buuren, David Miller (captain), Dinesh Karthik (wkt), Dunith Wellalage, Dayyaan Galiem, Andile Phehlukwayo, Bjorn Fortuin, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Kwena Maphaka

MI CAPE TOWN: Rassie van der Dussen, Connor Esterhuizen (wkt), Reeza Hendricks, Colin Ingram, George Linde, Delano Potgieter, Dewald Brevis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (captain), Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult

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