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Markram, Jansen lead Sunrisers to bonus-point win

rugby22 January 2025 18:58| © MWP
By:Neil Manthorp
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Aiden Markram led an extraordinary comeback victory for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape as they battled back from 53-5 to post 149-7 before shredding the Pretoria Capitals to 97 all out to record a remarkable 52-run victory in their SA20 match at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Wednesday.

It was the third consecutive bonus-point victory for the defending champions who began the defence of their title with three consecutive defeats.

Fast bowler Marco Jansen was stunning in the run-chase Power Play with figures of 3-0-7-3 as the Capitals crashed to 28-4 and never recovered despite brief resistance from Marques Ackerman (25) and debutant Keagan Lion-Cachet (28).

Jansen finished with a stunning 4-13 from his four overs.

Once Jansen’s carnage was complete English left-arm spinner Liam Dawson (4-0-17-3) took over in the middle order backed up with a couple of fine catches in the deep and a crucial lbw against danger man Jimmy Neesham who perished for a single.

Markram initially battled desperately to keep his side afloat with a magnificent 68 not out but collected two sixes and a four in a total of 19 runs from the 19th over to completely transform the innings – his six over extra cover against Australian left arm seamer Jason Behrendorff possibly the shot of the tournament so far having pulled the previous delivery for another maximum over square leg.

Markram faced 55 balls for his 68 runs and gathered five fours before his two sixes but it was the rebuilding of a potential crisis which impressed as much as his ball-striking.

The Sunrisers innings was in immediate trouble when Zak Crawley (0) edged the second ball from Behrendorff (1-34) to ‘keeper Kyle Verreynne and reached it’s nadir at 53-5 at the halfway point.

David Bedingham (8) was trapped lbw by Eathan Bosch and Englishman Tom Abell (6) pulled a Bosch short ball straight into the hands of Senuran Muthusamy at short fine leg.

Another Englishman, Will Jacks, snared Jordan Hermann (9) lbw and bowled Tristan Stubbs (4) to finish with 2-18 from three overs before Markram finally found an ally in Marco Jansen who struck 24 from 20 balls in a sixth wicket stand of 39 to revive Sunrisers hopes.

But the innings was transformed even further in the final three overs with yet another Englishman, Liam Dawson, belting a brilliant 25 from just 11 balls (1x4, 2x6) to ultimately put the game beyond the Capitals’ reach.

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

PRETORIA CAPITALS: Will Jacks, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Rilee Rossouw (captain), Marques Ackerman, Keagan Lion-Cachet, Jimmy Neesham, Senuran Muthusamy, Kyle Simmonds, Eathan Bosch, Jason Behrendorff.

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