Markram’s ton, Capitals comeback as play-off battle heats up – Cricket Fanatics Magazine

SA20 produced an incredible run of results on Saturday, leaving three teams in contention for the final play-off berth.

There is an intense battle for the last remaining spot in the play-offs, with Durban’s Super Giants (19 points), Joburg Super Kings (17 points) and MI Cape Town (14 points) battling it out heading into the final two round-robin matches.

The excitement started at Kingsmead on Saturday, where Durban’s Super Giants captain Aiden Markram hit an electrifying career-best 108 from 58 balls to set up his team’s bonus point win over Paarl Royals by 58 runs.

The five earned points lifted DSG to 19 points, and into the fourth and final playoff berth, two points ahead of Joburg Super Kings.

But despite the comprehensive victory that saw DSG reach 189/7 before Royals were restricted to 131/9, their play-off fate was still at stake as a JSK victory over Pretoria Capitals at the Wanderers later in the evening would eliminate both Super Giants and MI Cape Town.

JSK certainly gave both teams shivers as they reduced Pretoria Capitals to an extraordinary 7/5 after 4.5 overs. The Super Kings seamers were virtually unplayable, with Dan Worrall, Nandre Burger and Wiaan Mulder all doing their part to put Capitals deep in the swamp.

But that set the stage for the biggest comeback in Betway SA20 history, with Dewald Brevis and Sherfane Rutherford rebuilding the Capitals innings with a remarkable record 103 runs at the sixth wicket stand. The pair had already shown during this competition that they enjoy hitting together, but took it to the next level at the Bullring.

JSK will regret dropping Brevis at three as the big right-hander scored 53 off 47 balls (4×4, 3×6) to win a duel with JSK captain Donovan Ferreira, who conceded 23 runs in the 14th over.

However, Rutherford was once again the mainstay of the Capitals’ innings with an unbeaten 74 (50 balls, 10×4, 2×6), as his fireworks took the visitors to an unlikely 143/6.

Capitals’ bowling unit was determined to defend their total and led by the unstoppable Lizaad Williams (25/3) and captain Keshav Maharaj (15/3), the Centurion-based team restricted Joburg Super Kings to 122/8 to complete one of the most sensational comebacks in T20 franchise cricket history.

The Capitals’ win lifted Maharaj’s team to the top of the three-tier standings with 24 points, along with Paarl Royals and Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

However, they would also have celebrated all the way in Durban and Cape Town, with DSG and MI Cape Town now all surviving to fight another day.

The Joburg Super Kings’ play-off fate is still in their own hands with one final match to go against Paarl Royals at Boland Park on Monday, but they may have to contest it without their stand-in captain Ferreira, who was hit on the head with the first ball and had to retire injured.

MI Cape Town (14 points) will now take on Sunrisers Eastern Cape at St George’s Park on Sunday, requiring a bonus point win to stay in the play-off.

At the top of the standings, Pretoria Capitals, Paarl Royals and Sunrisers Eastern Cape have all already qualified and are on 24 points.

The Capitals have completed their round-robin matches but will have to wait until Paarl Royals and Sunrisers Eastern Cape play their respective final matches to see who will contest Qualifier 1 at Kingsmead next Wednesday.

BETWAY SA20 PLAYOFF PERMUTATIONS IN FOURTH PLACE

• Paarl Royals, Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Pretoria Capitals have qualified for the play-offs. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
• Durban’s Super Giants, Joburg Super Kings and MI Cape Town will battle it out for the fourth and final spot.
• Both Durban’s Super Giants and MI Cape Town need JSK to lose to Paarl Royals on Monday.
• Durban’s Super Giants also need MI Cape Town to lose or win without a bonus point against Sunrisers Eastern Cape on Sunday.
• MI Cape Town needs to win with a bonus point against Sunrisers Eastern Cape to stay ahead of Durban’s Super Giants thanks to more wins. ​ ​
• Joburg Super Kings must beat Paarl Royals to qualify. The win will eliminate both Durban’s Super Giants and MI Cape Town.