Sunrisers return to winning ways against Super Giants at Kingsmead

Tom Abell of Sunrisers Eastern Cape plays a shot during their SA20 match against Durban Super Giants.
Tom Abell of Sunrisers Eastern Cape plays a shot during their SA20 match against Durban Super Giants.
Image: Rogan Ward

The Sunrisers Eastern Cape returned to winning ways with a 58-run bonus-point victory over Durban’s Super Giants at Kingsmead on Friday night.

Tom Abell and the bowlers led the defending champions to the commanding triumph.

The defending champions were desperate to kick-start their Season 3 campaign after three defeats. 

Aiden Markram’s team responded to the rallying call from their skipper with a much-improved performance with the bat after he won the toss and opted to take the first strike. 

England international Zak Crawley provided the early momentum with a 29-ball 34 before fellow Englishman Abell crafted a 39-ball 57 (5x4) to maintain the momentum through the middle-order. 

Marco Jansen, who was fresh off a half-century in the last match, again provided the late flourish with 36 not out off 26 balls.

The lanky all-rounder shared an unbroken partnership of 24 off 13 balls with Tristan Stubbs (15 not out off eight balls) to lift the Sunrisers to 165/5.

Mystery spinner Noor Ahmad was the Super Giants’ most successful bowler with figures of 4/24.

The Super Giants' reply started in a positive fashion with opener Bryce Parsons and Matthew Breetzke putting on 40 for the first wicket.

However, the pair were involved in a horrible mix-up which led to Parsons being run out for 23 off 21 balls.

The Super Giants never quite recovered from there on with left-arm spinner Liam Dawson using the spin-friendly conditions at Kingsmead to his advantage. 

The Englishman showed his experience by having Kane Williamson (3) caught and bowled before trapping Breetzke (21) plumb in front to finish with 2/18 from his four overs.

Dawson received solid support from fellow spinner Simon Harmer, who claimed the big wicket of Season 2 MVP Heinrich Klaasen for just one.

Despite a couple of dropped catches that delayed the inevitable, the Sunrisers seamers completed a brilliant all-round bowling performance with Richard Gleeson and Ottneil Baartman both chipping in with 2/17 to dismiss the Super Giants for just 107.

The two sides will go head-to-head again in a rematch at St George’s Park (3:30pm start) on Sunday. 


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