Johannesburg [South Africa], February 4 (ANI): Joburg Super Kings clinched the last remaining SA20 season two playoff positions miraculously at the Wanderers on Saturday evening.
The Super Kings were handed a lifeline earlier in the day when Pretoria Capitals silenced Newlands when they beat MI Cape Town by four wickets with just two balls remaining.
It consigned MI Cape Town to missing out on the SA20 playoffs for the second season running.
The Capitals moved into the fourth playoff position on 14 points, but had to wait until the conclusion of the JSK and Durban’s Super Giants match at the Wanderers later.
And the Bullring was certainly treated to an absolute thriller with DSG posting 203/6, courtesy of half-centuries by Jon-Jon Smuts (55 in 34 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes), Wiaan Mulder (59 in 40 balls, with five fours and two sixes) and a 16-ball 40 from Heinrich Klaasen (three fours and three sixes).
To add to the drama unfolding at the Wanderers, the match was halted during the dinner interval due to lightning nearby.
But when JSK came out to resume their innings, it was only Faf du Plessis and Leus du Plooy doing the striking as they blasted 102 in just nine overs before Dun Plessis departed for 57 off 29 deliveries (seven fours and three sixes).
But Du Plooy continued the run chase with 57 off 47 balls before being clean-bowled by Noor Ahmed. His knock had five fours and two sixes.
This left the experienced pair of Wayne Madsen (44 not out off 29 balls with five fours and a six) and Moeen Ali (26 off 12 balls with two fours and a six) to take JSK to the brink of victory.
But the final heroics were left to Donovan Ferreira (14* in three balls with two sixes). JSK required 13 off Dwayne Pretorius’ final over, and although Moeen was dismissed after hitting the first ball for four, Ferreira banged a six off the next delivery, ran two, and then blasted another six to send the Wanderers into delirium.
MI Cape Town had no such luck after posting 163/9 with Rassie van der Dussen top scoring with 60. Ryan Rickelton also made 35 in 24 balls with three fours and two sixes.
The Capitals managed to get over the line with two balls to spare, but ultimately it was not enough to get last season’s runner-up into the Season 2 playoffs. Theunis de Bruyn (42 in 33 balls, with three fours and two sixes), Senuran Muthusamy (38* in 18 balls, with two fours and three sixes) and Kyle Verreynne (34 in 22 balls, with a four and three sixes) played crucial knocks for Capitals.
The Super Kings will now face Paarl Royals in Qualifier 2 at the Wanderers on Monday, February 7.
Durban’s Super Giants will face Sunrisers Eastern Cape in Qualifier 1 at Newlands on Tuesday, February 6. (ANI)
