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Rossouw’s fire and Jansen’s nerve sink Pretoria Capitals

27 December 2025 14:47| © MWP
By:Neil Manthorp
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Rilee Rossouw and Wiaan Mulder scored 48 and 43 respectively in a third-wicket partnership of 78 to help the Joburg Super Kings post a modest total of 168-6, but it proved comfortably sufficient for a 22-run victory in their opening SA20 match against the Pretoria Capitals at Centurion Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Capitals appeared to be coasting to victory with an opening stand of 71 between Englishman Will Smeed (34) and Bryce Parsons (41) but suffered a fatal collapse which saw them lose 5-18 in 3.5 overs and stagger to 89-5 with left-arm fast bowler Duan Jansen much to the fore with 3-0-15-3.

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Having reached the halfway stage on 74-1 with Smeed bowled by left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein, the Capitals’ attempted acceleration went wrong immediately with Parsons launching a wide Jansen delivery to the fielder at deep cover and West Indian Shai Hope (2) mistiming a drive to Faf du Plessis at mid on.

Dewald Brevis’s R16-million return to his home ground ended with a gloved hook shot against fast bowler Janco Smit and Connor Esterhuizen (2) was bowled by a Jansen delivery which kept low.

But Jansen, twin-brother of Proteas star Marco, wasn’t finished yet. Having gone unsold at the player auction and seemingly destined to watch the tournament from his sofa before called up as an injury replacement, he bowled Daniel Smith (9) to return career best figures of 4-0-23-4 on debut to put JSK firmly on course for victory.

When Mulder (4-0-22-1) had Barbadian Roston Chase (15) caught at cover the result was all but confirmed at 127-8 with 41 required from the final two overs.

CROWD CATCHES

Earlier Rossouw, having endured a miserable season playing for the Capitals last year before moving south of the Jukskei river this year, hammered five fours and three sixes from 33 balls to steady the innings after the early loss of openers Matthew de Villiers (13) and Faf du Plessis (2).

The highlight of Mulder’s 43 from 28 balls came when he slog-swept successive sixes against left-arm spinner Parsons into the crowd, both of which were caught one-handed by spectators to enter their names into the Betway ‘Catch R2 Million’ promotion.

Mulder’s attempt to hit a third ended in the hands of Codi Yusuf and his dismissal.

Indian born USA allrounder Shubham Ranjane (17) hammered a straight six before slicing a Yusuf delivery to Brevis on the boundary and Parsons (2-0-22-2) claimed a second wicket when Donovan Ferreira (9) was bowled by a quicker, non-turning delivery.

English left-arm fast bowler Tymal Mills bowled a torrid, rapid opening spell of 3-0-6-2 which should have been the difference between the sides if the Capitals’ batsmen had held their collective nerve.

De Villiers was beaten for pace and edged to ‘keeper Daniel Smith while Rossouw could only slash a short ball straight up to captain Keshav Maharaj.

Akeal Hossein (22* from 10 balls) provided some late Caribbean flair with a pair of sixes against Lungi Ngidi (0-43) but Mills conceded just 10 from the final over to finish with 2-16 in his first match in the tournament.

The tournament began on Friday night in Cape Town where last year’s wooden spoonists, Durban Super Giants, beat the defending champions, Mumbai Indians Cape Town, by 15-runs in a high-scoring encounter featuring one short of 250 runs.

PRETORIA CAPITALS: Will Smeed, Bryce Parsons, Shai Hope (wkt), Daniel Smith, Dewald Brevis, Connor Esterhuizen, Roston Chase, Codi Yusuf, Keshav Maharaj (captain), Lungi Ngidi, Tymal Mills

JOBURG SUPER KINGS: Faf du Plessis (captain), Rilee Rossouw, Wiaan Mulder, Donovan Ferreira (wkt), Matthew De Villiers, Dian Forrester, Shubham Ranjane, Duan Jansen, Janco Smit, Akeal Hosein, Richard Gleeson

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