After a slightly difficult run of matches, Eastern Province batsman Matthew Breetzke underlined his value to the Sunrisers Eastern Cape franchise with a crucial performance that helped secure a top-two finish in the Betway SA20 cricket competition.
Under the guidance of coach Adrian Birrell, the two-time champions have again put themselves firmly on track for a push towards Sunday’s final in Cape Town.
Sunrisers will contest a qualifier in Durban on Wednesday against opponents still to be confirmed. Victory will see them advance directly to the final, while defeat will give them another opportunity in the second eliminator on Friday.
The team clinched their place in the top two with a tense seven-wicket win over MI Cape Town at St George’s Park on Sunday, reaching their target of 149 with just one ball remaining.
At the heart of the chase was Breetzke, one of several homegrown players in the squad, whose composed innings of 66 proved decisive in getting Sunrisers over the line.
“I’m very happy and relieved,” said Breetzke. “It was a special occasion having my family here, and doing it in front of the home crowd was very cool.
“We saw in their innings how quickly you can score at the back end, so it was all about setting a platform and then trying to score quickly in the last four overs.
“The wickets haven’t been easy in the SA20, so you have to build your innings, work the singles and twos, and then the boundaries will come.
“This was a typical St George’s wicket – around 160 is par here – so I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but I also knew I had to give myself time.”
Breetzke explained that his innings required patience and adaptability.
“I started the competition well but then had to change my game because the wickets we played on weren’t easy.
“In these conditions it has been about building and then having a bit of fun at the end. The coaching staff have been very clear that this is my role in the team.
“Having Quinny [Quinton de Kock] at the other end helps a lot. He’s awesome to bat with; he keeps it really simple and relaxed. We’ve worked on keeping each other calm, especially when dot balls build pressure.”
Reflecting further on the match, Breetzke felt MI Cape Town had fallen slightly short.
“I think it was a typical St George’s wicket, and they were probably about 10 runs short, but it was still tricky to chase with the ebbs and flows of the innings.
“The games we’ve lost have been really close, often 10 or 15 runs short, so having a batter who has been there for a while at the end is important.
“We’re a tight unit, and getting over the line in those crunch moments is massive for us going forward.”
He also praised his teammates ahead of the playoffs, including debutant Chris Green from Australia, who impressed with his bowling figures of 3/29.
“Chris is a world-class performer who knows his game so well, and he’ll be massive for us in the playoffs.
“Quinny is also hungry and really enjoying his cricket, and he shares so much with the younger guys, which is great. Hopefully that continues in the playoffs.”
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