Durban’s Super Giants earned a much-needed win on Sunday, snatching a nail-biting victory over high-flying Sunrisers Eastern Cape in their SA20 clash in Gqeberha.
The Super Giants picked up only their second win in eight games, triumphing by two wickets as they lifted themselves from bottom spot, climbing to fifth place in the league standings.
Super Giants innings
Set a target of 159 runs to win, the Durban side’s top-order batters placed them in a solid position at 81/3 in the ninth over of their chase, led by opener Marques Ackerman who hit 45 runs off 26 deliveries.
But the visiting team’s middle-order batters were strangled by the Sunrisers bowling attack, as the Super Giants lost their firm grip on the match.
Seam bowler Marco Jansen was superb in the 18th over, giving away just three runs as the Eastern Cape outfit looked to take control at the death.
The Super Giants maintained their composure, however, and while they needed 12 runs off the last nine balls with all their batters sitting in the dugout, tail-ender Gerald Coetzee bashed a six in the penultimate over to take off the pressure.
Coetzee was removed by fast bowler Adam Milne two deliveries later (after making a 13-run contribution) but Evan Jones and Kwena Maphaka were able to hang on in the final over. They guided the Super Giants to 162/8 with three balls to spare, with Jones hitting a match-winning boundary to seal the victory.
Spin bowler Senuran Muthusamy spearheaded the Sunrisers attack, taking 2/20, while fast bowler Anrich Nortje returned 2/34.
Sunrisers innings
Earlier, after winning the toss and choosing to bat, the Sunrisers were restricted to 38/2 in the powerplay.
They managed to recover, however, with middle-order batters Tristan Stubbs (47 off 30) and Lewis Gregory (25 off 17) launching a late fight.
Stubbs and Gregory smashed 53 runs off the last three overs of the Sunrisers innings, carrying their team to 158/5.
It was ultimately not enough, however, with the Super Giants tightening the screw for most of the innings, with all five of their bowlers taking a wicket each in a combined effort with the ball.
“We are in a position now where it feels like a must-win every time. It got quite close and niggly, but you take the points and a couple of lessons with it,” said Super Giants captain Aiden Markram.
Though the Sunrisers were handed their second defeat in seven games, they remained top of the SA20 table, two points ahead of the Joburg Super Kings.
The Super Giants will face Paarl Royals in their next game at Boland Park on Tuesday and the Sunrisers are up against Joburg Super Kings in Gqeberha on Wednesday.
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