With their third successive win in the league, the Paarl Royals surged to the top of the table with 16 points from five games. Catch the highlights from the SA20 match
Paarl Royals: Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Joe Root, Rubin Hermann, David Miller(c), Mitchell Van Buuren, Dinesh Karthik(w), Dayyaan Galiem, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Eshan Malinga, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dunith Wellalage, Bjorn Fortuin, Sam Hain, Keith Dudgeon, Nqabayomzi Peter, Codi Yusuf, Dewan Marais
Joburg Super Kings: Devon Conway, Faf du Plessis(c), Leus du Plooy, Jonny Bairstow(w), Wihan Lubbe, Donovan Ferreira, Evan Jones, David Wiese, Tabraiz Shamsi, Imran Tahir, Matheesha Pathirana, Moeen Ali, Doug Bracewell, Beuran Hendricks, Hardus Viljoen, Sibonelo Makhanya, Lutho Sipamla, Gerald Coetzee, Maheesh Theekshana, JP King
Paarl Royals have won the toss and elected to field first against Joburg Super Kings.
Paarl Royals: Joe Root, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Rubin Hermann, David Miller (cap), Mitchell Van Buuren, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Dunith Wellalage, Dayyaan Galiem, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Bjorn Fortuin, Kwena Maphaka
Joburg Super Kings: Faf du Plessis (cap), Devon Conway, Leus du Plooy, Johnny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Donovan Ferreira, Sibonelo Makhanya, Imran Tahir, Tabraiz Shamsi, Hardus Viljoen, Lutho Sipamla
Pitch conditions are expected to be favouring spinners tonight at the Boland Park in Paarl. We could see middling scores from this game.
Here we go then. Conway and du Plessis are out in the middle. The Paarl players too are setting up themselves.
Just five runs from the first over. Fortuin bowls five good balls and one on the legs of du Plessis which goes to the fine leg boundary. Good start from the left-arm spinner.
Good start for Paarl Royals. Bjorn Fortuin has already dismissed Devon Conway and it seems the Royals are going spin heavy on a slightly sluggish surface. Du Plessis and du Plooy currently in the middle.
A wicket maiden to end the powerplay. Brilliant bowling from Mujeeb who has been brilliant from the other end. Fortuin too has been on point, dismissing both openers. Mujeeb then picked up the wicket of du Plooy. JSK in massive trouble.
Root too has taken a wicket now and JSK have really struggled to break free against spinners. Wellalage too has bowled well from one end. Bairstow is in the middle alongside Makhanya for JSK. But they need to up the ante now and at the same time not lose their wicket.
A small partnership between Bairstow and Makhanya. They have added 34 from 37 balls now. The pitch is helping spinners and it is not at all hurting the Royals that they have so many quality spinning options. A six off the last ball of the 13th over is the first of the innings and also the first boundary in 49 balls.
Donovan Ferreira smashes back-to-back sixes off Mujeeb to take JSK over 100. Bairstow is still batting even as Makhanya got run out to help PR get their fifth scalp of the game. Ferreira and Bairstow would now want to take JSK over 140 and that will be a decent score on this pitch.
JSK finish with JSK 146/6 in 20 overs. A brilliant end to an innings that seemed to be going nowhere. All thanks Jonny Bairstow. Before departing in the final over, the Englishman hit 60 off 40. Donovan Ferreira too played a handy cameo of 32 from 19 balls.
Joburg Super Kings: 146/6 (20)
Paarl Royals need 147 runs to win and go on top of the standings.
Hard-hitting South African southpaw Lhuan-dre Pretorius smashes a 14-ball 27 to give the Royals a flying start. He eventually is dismissed by Hardus Viljoen, but the hosts appear well on their way towards Super Kings' 147-run target.
After Joe Root's departure, Rubin Hermann and Mitchell Van Buuren have taken charge for the Royals. The Super Kings have employed their illustrious spin trio of Tabraiz Shamsi, Imran Tahir and Moeen Ali on a pitch that is likely to grip more and more as the game goes on. All eyes, meanwhile on the David Miller show that could happen later in the innings.
Rubin Hermann departs for 19 off 15, but that brings the Royals' dangerous batter and skipper David Miller at the crease. And the southpaw is in the thick of it straight away, scoring at a better clip than needed with the asking rate below seven.
Miller has completely changed the complexion of the game. Joining forces with Mitchell van Buuren, the Royals captain has put his side on the verge of a comfortable win. The hosts need just 14 runs off the last three overs, with seven wickets still in the bag.
And that's that. Miller smashes Lutho Sipamla for a humongous six to finish off the game in style. The Royals lost the well-set Mitchell van Buuren in the 19th over, but Miller was there to guide them home. Dinesh Karthik helped with the finishing touches. And with that, the Royals jump to the summit with 16 points from five games.