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Donovan Ferreira smashed his way to the fastest Betway SA20 half-century as the Joburg Super Kings down the Pretoria Capitals by six wickets at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday evening.
Man of the match Ferreira smashed seven boundaries and three sixes to register his fifty in just 18 balls before ending on 56 not out from 20 balls as the Super Kings ended on 171 for four in response to the Pretoria Capitals 167 for nine after Wayne Parnell had won the toss and elected to bat first.
Ferreira and Moeen Ali shared in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 77 from only 34 balls to help their side register their first victory of the season. Ali struck one four and one massive six over backward square leg to end unbeaten on 25 from 21 balls.
Despite the loss of the early wickets of Reeza Hendricks (4) and Faf du Plessis (9), both cleaned bowled by the spin of Will Jacks (4-0-26-2), Leus de Plooy (33) and Sibonelo Makhanya (40) settled the nerves with a stand of 70 from 40 balls for the third wicket.
Du Plooy, who has been the rock of the Super Kings lineup this season, struck one four and three sixes from 21 balls before being caught by Eathan Bosch at long on from the bowling of Adil Rashid (3-0-21-1). Makhanya struck four boundaries and a six from 31 balls in a well-balanced innings as he and Du Plooy set about putting the Super Kings on course for victory.
When Makhanya was caught by Jacks in the deep off Jimmy Neesham (4-0-44-1), the Super Kings’ dugout looked nervous. But Ali and Ferreira set about calming those nerves and sending the whistle-blowing Johannesburg crown into a frenzy.
Ferreira disregarded the pace of Hardus Viljoen (3-0-49-) while working Neesham around the park.
Earlier, Kyle Verreynne played a masterful innings in his first SA20 outing, striking seven boundaries and a z six from 52 deliveries to end unbeaten on 72 to save the blushes of the Capitals.
Nandre Burger (4-0-30-2) and Lizaad Willaims (4-0-26-3) destroyed the Capitals top-order as they removed Phil Salt (12), Jacks (1), Rilee Rossouw (0) and Colin Ingram (0) to leave the visitors on 44 for four at the end of the power play.
Neesham (6) and Corbin Bosch (9) did not offer any resistance to the onslaught as Imran Tahir (4-0-32-1) had Neesham brilliantly stumped down the leg side by Ferreira and Bosch edged Romario Shepherd (4-0-39-3) to Ferreira behind the stumps.
Parnell (22) wrestled with Verreynne in a stand of 43 from 41 balls for the seventh wicket to restore some respectability to the total while Rashid (15) and Viljoen (10 not out) added some value at the backend of the innings, giving the Capitals something worth defending.
The win moves the Super Kings above the Capitals on the log, with six points from five games while the Capitals, on four points, have a game in hand. The Capitals’ next assignment is against the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in Gqeberha on Monday while the Super Kings host the Durban super Giants on Wednesday.
*As published on Supersport.com
