Durban – A match-defining innings from Donovan Ferreira saw the Joburg Super Kings edge Durban’s Super Giants by sixteen runs in front of a passionate crowd at Kingsmead in the Betway SA20 on Wednesday.

In the first match of the competition in Durban, supporters turned out in their numbers to cheer on DSG in their inaugural fixture in the SA20 and they gave the fans an exciting start after they lost the toss and bowled first.

Keshav Maharaj showed very few signs of jetlag when he picked up the dangerous Reeza Hendricks in the second over of the innings while Dwaine Pretorius nabbed Janneman Malan for five in the third over.

It got better for the Super Giants when they got their third wicket with the score on 25 when Prenelan Subrayen got his first wicket. He had Kyle Verreynne caught for ten in the sixth over of the innings.

The Super Giants were well on top when they reduced the Super Kings to 27 for four after Subrayen and Maharaj combined again to send Lewis Gregory back to the change room.

Ferreira then joined his captain Faf du Plessis at the crease and the pair added 72 for the fifth wicket before Akila Dananjaya picked up his first wicket when Du Plessis was caught in the deep for 39.

A crucial partnership of 87 between Ferreira and Romario Shepard gave the Super Kings important momentum as they took the visitors to 186 for six in the final over.

Batting at number six Ferreira ended on 82 not out off 40 balls as the Super Kings finished their innings on 190 for six.

Maharaj finished his four overs with figures of one for 23 while Subrayen picked up two wickets for 26 in four overs.

The reply from DSG was positive as openers Kyle Mayers and captain Quinton de Kock took the attack to the JSK bowlers.

The pair put on 98 for the first wicket with Mayers adding 39 before he was stumped in the eleventh over of the chase.

Runs flowed freely from the bat of De Kock as he went past 50 before he was dismissed for 78 off just 52 balls, however DSG were still under pressure as the required rate continued to climb.

Heinrich Klaasen made 20 and Wiaan Mulder scored ten but when the latter was dismissed DSG were 153 for four with eleven balls left and 38 runs to win.

All-rounder Dwaine Pretorius hit some big shots in his 14 off six balls but when he lost his wicket the match was gone.

Talking after the match Maharaj found a number of positives for his team to take away from it.

“I thought that we bowled well, Donovan just batted really nicely,” Maharaj said.

“We had a few chances that didn’t go to hand but fair play to him he batted well.

“We did see that the wicket did get better as the match went on but I think we did let them get twenty to thirty runs to many.”

The Durban crowd turned out in their numbers on Wednesday and for Maharaj is was a sight to behold.

“I’ve played here for seventeen years and this is probably the best crowd I’ve ever seen at Kingsmead.

“Considering it was a week day, the vibe and the atmosphere here was incredible and a lot of credit must go to the teams and how they have marketed themselves.

“I think that it will only get better from here,” Maharaj added.

Durban’s Super Giants take on the Paarl Royals at Kingsmead Stadium in their second match of the Betway SA20 on Sunday, 15 January.

SUMMARY OF RESULT:

Joburg Super Kings 190/6 (D Ferreira 82* R Shepherd 40 F du Plessis 39 P Subrayen 2/26 K Maharaj 1/23)

Durban’s Super Giants 174/5 (Q de Kock 78 K Mayers 39 A Joseph 2/30)

Joburg Super Kings won by sixteen runs