Boland Park hums in the late morning heat. The majestic Drakenstein Mountains are virtually invisible, hidden by the billowing smoke of the fires raging on their slopes.
The sold-out crowd slowly fills the lawns, seeking out all shade early as they grow sweltering in the 34-degree heat. They have come for the 19th match of the SA20. The blue sky above is in stark contrast to a season ravaged by rain. Sixty percent of the round-robin stage of the competition has been completed and more matches have already been lost to rain than in any previous SA20 season.
The five no results (28% of games so far) have affected pre-season favorites DSG more than any other team, with three games rained out. Two of them at home in Durban, and one at Centurion. Their campaign started with a dominant batting display against MICT, which remains their only win. Their path to the play-offs faces the same risk as that of the champions, who are in grave danger of not finishing in the top four. They have had one no result, four losses and one win in a match with little rain against JSK.
No team has been spared from the floods in the east and north of the country. What this has resulted in is that the standings have been more compressed than you would expect at this point in the season. All six teams have the opportunity to reach the final four.
The Paarl Royals were perhaps the surprise package of the tournament and they find themselves third in the table as of match 19, having played just five games. There are three home games awaiting the men in pink, and they will no doubt bring as much fire as possible to add to their three wins so far. Pretoria Capitals has dropped to eleven points after six games and needs a win in the Boland Park cauldron.
Looking ahead to tonight at the Wanderers, the weather forecast is positive for the match between JSK and MICT. With every match being a must-win for the men from the Mother City, they must weather the JSK storm.
Back in Paarl, one of the finds of the season, Nqobani Mokoena, comes pouring in from Nederburg. The 19-year-old has impressed with his raw pace and ability to produce a very good slower ball. Last year’s Paarl Royals campaign made the world sit up and take notice of a certain Lhuan-dre Pretorius, and this year the young “Moks”, as he is affectionately known, is making his mark. The Durbanite has become a firm favorite in Boland Park.
He forces a false strike from Jordan Cox and the pink hordes cheer as the ball ends up in the hands of Delano Potgieter at halfway.
Local man Bjorn Fortuin bowls his 4 overs for 22. Although he plies his trade domestically for the Lions, the Paarl Boys High product is much loved in these parts.
Englishman Dan Lawrence is thrown the ball for his first bowl in the SA20 and takes a wicket on both his first and third deliveries. The Pretoria Capitals are 60/4 behind 8 overs and in a bit of trouble.
Then Mujeeb and Raza spin a web around the Capitals hitters, while both Chase and Brevis fall cheaply for the Zimbabwean magician. The wind direction has changed and the smoke is closing in as the Paarl fires further undermine the Capitals’ hopes of making the play-offs.
Two unnecessary runs make it difficult to reach a competitive total, with Sherfane Rutherford being the standout, scoring 42 off 35, including two mighty sixes in the final over. The score of 138 may be enough, but the Royals will be backing themselves to reach the total.
They got off to the worst start and lost the dangerous Pretorius for a second ball. While the Royals recover, a fire starts in a field next to the ground, causing a huge commotion among the crowd. While the flames have been extinguished, the Royals’ hopes are dimmed. Asa Tribe are retreating and the equation is becoming increasingly difficult for the home team. At the halfway point, Captain David Miller is on point with Rubin Hermann, and the Royals need 94 from the last ten overs.
There’s a hush in the crowd, which could perhaps be that the fire has been put out, but it’s more likely that the Royals’ required run rate is heading towards 10.
Seventy needed seven overs in the sweltering heat of the afternoon. It’s a big question.
When the final strategic timeout is taken, there are four overs remaining and 44 runs are required. Crucially for the Royals, Miller is still in trouble.
Maharaj dismisses Raza at the start of the 17th over and he finishes with 2/14 in his 4 overs. Brilliant from South Africa’s best left-arm spinner. Now press Miller. He’s breathing heavily at the crease, the weight of anticipation on his shoulders.
Miller is the only one who can get his team over the line. Ultimately, it’s too much for the Talisman Captain. He falls by at the beginning of the final. They finish 21 runs short.
The smoke is thick, but the fire is on the Capitals as their quest for the playoffs takes a giant leap forward. The impact of the result on MICT and DSG cannot be underestimated, as a sweltering afternoon in Paarl may have put the ultimate dampener on their SA20 campaigns.
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