Markram, Jansen lead Sunrisers Eastern Cape to victory

Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain, Aiden Markram, and Marco Jansen were in scintillating form to lead their team to a resounding 14-run win against the Jo’burg Super Giants in their SA20 match at St.George’s Park in Gqeberha on Friday evening.

Markram scored a quality 43 from 29 balls to lead his team to a highly competitive total of 165-4 after choosing to bat first and Jansen claimed 2-19 his four overs to help restrict the Super Kings to 151-8 in reply to secure a comfortable victory.

Faf du Plessis (27 from 18 balls) led a spirited Super Kings run chase which was anchored by Devon Conway (43 from 40 balls) but when the former edged Jansen to slip and the latter pulled a long-hop from spinner Liam Dawson to deep square leg the wheels quickly began to fall off.

Left hander Leus du Plooy (19) edged a prodigious offspinner from Markram into the gloves of ‘keeper Tristan Stubbs and when Jonny Bairstow (14) miscued a pull against Jansen to deep square leg the men in yellow were in deep trouble at 115-4 with just four overs remaining.

Earlier, Markram’s innings contained four boundaries and a glorious ‘inside-out’ six over long off against medium pacer Evan Jones (2-38) before a similar shot against the same bowler fell tamely to JSK captain du Plessis at mid off.

Opener David Bedingham laid the platform with a measured 37 from 34 balls (4x4) after the early loss of partner Zak Crawley whose miserable form continued. Bowled by seamer Lutho Sipamla with the first ball of the innings – a no ball – the Englishman was trapped lbw for six with the first ball of the second over from fast bowler Hardus Viljoen.

Another Englishman, Tom Abell, contributed 23 from 20 balls including a top-edged six over fine leg against Viljoen before a cross-seam delivery from Jones found the outside edge and ‘keeper Jonny Bairstow claimed a simple catch.

Stubbs drove Sri Lankan mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana (4-0-31-0) for a glorious six to finish with an unbeaten 35 from 22 balls while Jansen contributed an unbeaten 11 from 10 balls in the closing overs.

The home side had stormed into third place on the back of three consecutive bonus-point victories with 15 points from six matches having started their title defence with three straight defeats but now climb to second place on 19 points just one behind log leaders, Paarl Royals, who have 20 points from six matches.

SUNRISERS EASTERN CAPE: Zak Crawley, David Bedingham, Tom Abell, Jordan Hermann, Aiden Markram (captain), Tristan Stubbs (wkt), Marco Jansen, Liam Dawson, Simon Harmer, Ottneil Baartman, Richard Gleeson

JOBURG SUPER KINGS: Devon Conway, Faf du Plessis (captain), Leus du Plooy, Jonny Bairstow (wkt), Wihan Lubbe, Donovan Ferreira, Evan Jones, Hardus Viljoen, Maheesh Theekshana, Imran Tahir, Lutho Sipamla