Duan Jansen of Joburg Super Kings celebrates the wicket of Connor Esterhuizen of Pretoria Capitals with teammates during their SA20 match at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Saturday afternoon. Picture: Arjun SIngh / Sportzpics for SA20 Rilee Rossouw, Wiaan Mulder and Duan Jansen starred for the Joburg Super Kings as they produced a brilliant fightback to stun the Pretoria Capitals, clinching a 22-run win in their SA20 opener at a full SuperSport Park in Centurion on Saturday afternoon. Rossouw hit 48 off 33 balls (5×4; 3×6), and Mulder 43 off 28 (3×4; 3×6), in their innings to set their side up for a below par score of 168/6 at a ground that had a aggregate score of 187 in the previous SA20 matches at it.
But in the end it proved to be more than enough asthe Capitalsended well short on 146/9 in reply, after a disastrous collapse, which was sparked by Jansen who picked up brilliant career best figures of 4/23 in his four overs. However a strong start to the Capitals chase saw them reach the halfway stage of their innings as firm favourites, thanks to openers Bryce Parsons, 41 off 30 (2×4; 3×6), and Will Smeed, 34 off 30 (5×4; 1×6), sharing 71 runs for the first wicket. Even when Smeed became the first to fall, bowled by Akeal Hosein at the end of the ninth over, with the Capitals batters to come they were expected to chase the score easily, as they reached the halfway mark on 75/1.
But their big hitters all fell by the wayside, as West Indian Shai Hope (2),record signing Dewald Brevis(6) and Connor Esterhuizen (2) all fell cheaply. It was a collapse of five wickets for 18 runs in 23 balls that broke the chase, which left the Capitals reeling on 112/6 in the 13thover, with Roston Chase (15) and Keshav Maharaj (12), the only other two batters to reach double figures. The whole Super Kings bowling attack contributed to the defence, with Jansen backed up by Richard Gleeson, 2/33, Mulder, 1/22, Hosein, 1/19, and Janco Smit, 1/37.
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At the start of the match the Capitals won the toss and chose to field, and started well as the Super Kings innings got off to a poor start. They lost their openers early, with Matthew de Villiers (13) edging Tymal Mills to keeper Daniel Smith, followed four balls later byFaf du Plessis(2), wafting at a slow short ball from Codi Yusuf, only to feather an edge to Smith, leaving them on 16/2 in the fourth over. But that brought Rossouw and Mulder together and they set about a recovery job, before powering their way to an impressive 78-run third wicket partnership.
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