07 Feb Sunrisers power into second Betway SA20 Final
Defending champions wait on Wanderers results to determine opponents in Final
Tuesday, 6 February 2024: Seamers, Ottniel Baartman and Marco Jansen powered the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to their second consecutive Betway SA20 final after a convincing 51-run victory over Durban’s Super Giants in the Qualifier 1 at Newlands on Tuesday.
The defending champions were superior in all facets, and will now spend the week in Cape Town in the build-up to Saturday’s Final .
Durban’s Super Giants will travel to Johannesburg, where they will meet the winner of Paarl Royals vs Joburg Super Kings in Qualifier 2 at the Wanderers on Thursday, for a second opportunity to advance to the final.
Opener Dawid Malan held the Sunrisers’ innings together with his second half century of the competition. The Englishman rediscovered his touch with 63 off 45 (6×4, 1×6) that formed the cornerstone of the Sunrisers’ 157/8, which was disrupted by a two-hour rain delay.
Captain, Aiden Markram, also contributed 30 off 23 balls, but the skipper’s dismissal set about a collapse that saw the defending champions lose five wickets for 29 runs.
Two run outs, and some excellent death bowling from Junior Dala (2/35) provided DSG with momentum heading into their run chase.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape were provided with the perfect start though with Marco Jansen (4/16) removing Tony de Zorzi in the second over. De Zorzi was the first of Jansen’s four scalps on the night.
But the game-changing over of the evening came when Baartman delivered a double-wicket maiden. The right-arm seamer has been consistent throughout the competition for the Sunrisers, with his 4/10 propelling him to the top of the Betway SA20 wicket-takers leaderboard.
His first wicket saw Matthew Breetzke top-edge a flyer to wicket-keeper Tristan Stubbs. The second was, however, due to brilliant piece of athleticism from Markram, with the skipper throwing out one hand whilst in the air to help dismiss Jon Jon Smuts at mid-on.
The Super Giants still had the dangerous Quinton de Kock at the crease, but he too was sent back to the dugout courtesy of another fantastic caught and bowled from Liam Dawson. The left-arm spinner also had DSG’s top-scorer Wiaan Mulder (38) caught in the deep.
The Sunrisers, however, knew that whilst Heinrich Klaasen was still at the crease the Super Giants were always still in the hunt.
And that’s when Baartman held his nerve by having Klaasen (23 off 15 balls), caught behind just when the Proteas superstar was starting to warm up.
Klaasen’s dismissal signalled the end of DSG’s challenge on the night, with Jansen running through the tail to ensure a smooth passage to the final for the Sunrisers.
Notes
Video from the post-match press conference featuring Junior Dala (DSG) and Adrian Birrell (SEC) is available for editorial use in the below link.
Rights free images from the Betway SA20 are available below.
Betway SA20 Season 2 | SPORTZPICS Photography
Playoff and Final Dates
6 February – Qualifier 1 Newlands
Sunrisers Eastern Cape vs Durban’s Super Giants – Sunrisers won by 51 runs
7 February – Eliminator Wanderers
Paarl Royals vs Joburg Super Kings
8 February – Qualifier 2 Wanderers
Loser of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Eliminator
10 February – Final Newlands
Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2
Additional Notes
- In the event of an interruption, in both the playoffs and final, there will be 120 minutes of extra time before overs are lost.
- There is no reserve day for the eliminator and qualifiers, if no result is achieved on the scheduled day, then the team that placed higher on final log standings will progress as the deemed winner.
- For the final – if no result can be achieved on original final day, play will resume on the reserve day from the position the game was in (no restart). All efforts will be made to achieve a result on original day.
ENDS