Paarl Royals climbed to third place in the SA20 standings, picking up their second win in four matches with a one-run victory in a tightly contested clash against defending champions MI Cape Town at Boland Park on Friday night.
While the Royals kept themselves in the hunt in the early stages of the annual competition, MI Cape Town were left flailing in bottom spot with just two points from a rained-out clash after four games.
Paarl Royals innings
After winning the toss and choosing to bat, the Royals were anchored by 19-year-old Lhuan-dre Pretorius and 21-year-old Asa Tribe who shared a century stand for the first wicket.
Tribe was removed in the 11th over, after contributing 51 runs off 34 balls, when he swept a Rashid Khan delivery to Nicholas Pooran on the mid-wicket boundary.
After Tribe was dismissed, Pretorius went on to carry his bat, making a career-best 98 not out off 65 deliveries in an innings which included 10 fours and two sixes as he guided the hosts to 181/3.
MI Cape Town innings
In response, opening batters Rassie van der Dussen (59 off 42) and Ryan Rickelton (36 off 20) laid a solid foundation for MI Cape Town with a 77-run opening stand.
Once they were removed, the visitors lost momentum, and while their lower order put up a fight (led by captain Khan who made 35 off 18) they were ultimately restricted to 180/8 in their 20 overs.
Paarl Royals and MI Cape Town will face each other again in the return fixture at Newlands on Sunday.
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