Durban’s Super Giants’ three-match win streak in the SA20 2024 came to an end after a narrow 17-run loss to last season’s finalists Pretoria Capitals in Centurion on Thursday.
Batting first, PC seemed to be flying towards a huge total courtesy Will Jacks’ quickfire century but a late revival by the DSG bowlers, spearheaded by Reece Topley, restricted them to 204/9.
Matthew Breetzke gave DSG a good start but losing wickets at regular intervals saw the Super Giants’ innings end at 187/7.
Reece Topley pulls things back for DSG after Will Jacks century
PC captain Wayne Parnell won the toss and elected to bat first. PC openers Will Jacks and Phil Salt got the home team to a flying start and put up 74/0 in the first five overs.
Reece Topley gave DSG the much-awaited breakthrough in the sixth over and had Salt scoop one straight to Heinrich Klaasen at cover. Captain Keshav Maharaj dealt another blow in the very next over, picking up Theunis de Bruyn for just two.
Keemo Paul also got on the wickets column with Rilee Rossouw playing one straight to JJ Smuts in the 10th over. Jacks, meanwhile, continued his rampage and got to his century off just 41 balls with a six off Dwaine Pretorius. However, it was Pretorius who had the last laugh as Jacks lifted one straight to Maharaj at point in the very next ball.
From 151/4 after 14 overs, the PC innings ended at just 204/9 in 20, largely owing to some tight overs and regular wickets by the DSG bowlers. Topley led from the front with 3/34 in his four overs. His last, the 19th of the innings, was a double-wicket maiden.
Marcus Stoinis, making his SA20 debut on the night, also picked up his maiden wicket in the competition, dismissing James Neesham in the 18th over, which yielded just one run.
DSG’s valiant chase falls short
Chasing 205, Matthew Breetzke got DSG off to a brisk start but his innings came to an end for 33 as he was caught by Corbin Bosch off Parnell. Jacks chipped the DSG batting order even further, removing both Kyle Mayers and the in-form Klaasen in the eighth over to reduce DSG to 62/3.
Quinton de Kock (25 off 20) and Marcus Stoinis (13 off 5) got good starts but lost their wicket while trying to pick up the scoring rate.
With the asking rate climbing up, DSG continued to lose wickets at regular intervals.
Pretorius (19* off 10) and Maharaj (25* off 12) put up a valiant stand and took the fight to the PC bowlers with some massive hits. With 23 to get in the last over, the two kept DSG hopes alive right till the end but a tight final over from Neesham saw the DSG chase end 17 runs short.
What next for the Super Giants?
DSG will be back home at Kingsmead to host reigning champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape on Saturday.
The Super Giants have already beaten SEC in the away leg this season by 35 runs.
Brief Scores: Pretoria Capitals 204/9 in 20 overs (Will Jacks 101; Reece Topley 3/34) beat Durban’s Super Giants 187/7 in 20 overs (Matthew Breetzke 33; Will Jacks 2/18) by 17 runs.
