Having sealed a berth in the Betway SA20 cricket playoffs, Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain Tristan Stubbs wants his team to continue building momentum as the round-robin phase concludes this weekend.
Sunrisers returned to the top of the log after a sublime performance against Joburg Super Kings at a vibrant St George’s Park on Wednesday, winning by 61 runs.
They have two matches remaining — against MI Cape Town at Newlands on Friday, followed by the reverse fixture at St George’s Park on Sunday at 3.30pm.
While their place in the top four is secure and the temptation exists to look ahead to the playoffs, Stubbs reiterated that the focus remained firmly on the immediate task.
“Our priorities will not change because Twenty20 cricket, and this competition, is all about building momentum, and we need to take that into the playoffs,” he said.
“That’s what we’ll be looking for in our final two matches this weekend.”
After losing to Durban’s Super Giants at St George’s Park on Sunday, Sunrisers put themselves back on track with a commanding display against Super Kings.
Despite the odd hiccup, they controlled proceedings for most of the match, posting a formidable 178/6 on a familiar St George’s surface before dismissing the visitors for 117 to claim their fourth bonus-point win of the season.
Our priorities will not change because Twenty20 cricket, and this competition, is all about building momentum, and we need to take that into the playoffs.
— Tristan Stubbs, Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain
For Stubbs, success came down to sticking to the basics.
“We spoke about it before the match, and what we needed to do was make sure we did the basics well,” he said.
“It was a pretty standard St George’s pitch, and you know what is required, so I’m happy we were able to achieve what we set out to do.”
Though not at his fluent best, Stubbs still played a vital role, finishing unbeaten on 23 in a telling fifth-wicket partnership of 88 in nine overs with James Coles after Sunrisers found themselves in a tricky position at 90/4.
“I think the way it spun, if you’re struggling as a batter, you know it’s not easy to make runs,” the skipper said. “So basically we just aimed for around 10 runs an over for the last five overs.”
Stubbs was delighted with the impact of 21-year-old Coles, who was playing his first match of the season and produced a stunning all-round performance.
“Colesy played the game of his life today, and the way he batted was amazing,” Stubbs said.
“The reason we brought him in was pretty straightforward — he’s a seriously good spinner, and he also lengthens our batting line-up.”
The Sussex all-rounder delivered in emphatic fashion, striking 10 fours in a fluent 61 off 34 balls, claiming two wickets and producing a sharp piece of fielding to run out Matthew de Villiers.
In his first SA20 season, Coles said the competition had lived up to its reputation.
“I’d heard a lot about the competition and had high expectations, and it hasn’t disappointed — it’s been pretty incredible,” he said.
Despite making his first appearance only on Wednesday, Coles said he had remained positive throughout.
“Coach Adi (Adrian Birrell) has been incredible, telling me that my time will come and always filling me with confidence,” he added.
“I just made sure I was doing the right things in practice so I’d be ready when a chance came.”
Stubbs again paid tribute to the backing of the vibey home crowd as the Orange Army sang Sunrisers to another win.
“This crowd is amazing; they’re always vocal, and we’re really thankful for their support,” he said.
“A lot of the local boys know many of the people in the crowd, so it’s always great fun at St George’s.”
The log before last night’s match between Pretoria Capitals and Paarl Royals in Centurion was: Sunrisers Eastern Cape 24 (8), Pretoria Capitals 20 (8), Paarl Royals 19 (7), Joburg Super Kings 17 (8), Durban’s Super Giants 14 (9), and MI Cape Town 10 (8).
The Herald
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