DSG and MI Cape Town frustrated by rain

Only 45 minutes’ play was possible at Kingsmead in Durban on Tuesday night before rain caused the abandonment of the Betway SA20 match between Durban’s Super Giants and MI Cape Town. Each side collected two points for the no-result.

MI Cape Town, put in to bat by the Super Giants, had reached 69 for three in 11 overs when rain started falling at 6.15pm. The rain, though light, never abated after that and the umpires were forced to abandon the match at 8.40pm.

MI Cape Town’s opening pair of Ryan Rickelton and Rassie van der Dussen, who have enjoyed a stellar competition as partners, averaging more than 60 for the first wicket, put on 34 in four overs before Rickelton dragged a delivery onto his stumps in Junior Dala’s first over. He departed for a bright cameo of 18 in nine balls.

On a two-paced pitch, it was not easy for the batters to score quickly and the Cape team were restricted to 20 runs in five overs at a cost of two wickets after reaching a reasonable total of 49 for one in the powerplay.

This was largely due to DSG’s spin twins, Keshav Maharaj and Noor Ahmad, who both captured a wicket. Maharaj was first to strike, with Reeza Hendricks sweeping him to Wiaan Mulder on the midwicket boundary. Then it was Noor’s turn, as a struggling Colin Ingram top-edged a sweep to Brandon King on the square-leg boundary.

When the rain started falling, Van der Dussen was undefeated on 35 in 32 balls (3x4s, 1x6) in partnership with his skipper, Rashid Khan (5*).

Dala finished with figures of 1/15 in two overs but Maharaj (1/18 in four overs) and Noor (1/7 in two overs) were particularly impressive.

The two points moved MI Cape Town up to 16 points, level on points with leaders Paarl Royals, while DSG remain rooted at the bottom of the log with eight points.

Durban’s Super Giants: Matthew Breetzke, Brandon King, Quinton de Kock (wk), Kane Williamson, Wiaan Mulder, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj (capt), Junior Dala, Noor Ahmad, Naveen ul-Haq, Dwaine Pretorius

MI Cape Town: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Colin Ingram, Dewald Brevis, George Linde, Delano Potgieter, Corbin Bosch, Rashid Khan (capt), Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult.