Capitals grab face-saving victory

Saving their campaign with a crucial victory, the Pretoria Capitals lifted themselves from the bottom of the SA20 table with a nail-biting three-run win over title holders Sunrisers Eastern Cape in Centurion last night.

Just three days after being handed a record nine-wicket defeat by the Sunrisers in Gqeberha, the Capitals had a chance to hit back against the defending SA20 champions in front of their home crowd.

They were on the back foot from the start, however, with the top order struggling to get them going as they stumbled to 52/5 after six overs.

Their middle-order batters launched a recovery effort of sorts, with Shane Dadswell (24) and Jimmy Neesham (27) keeping the home side afloat as they scratched their way to 125 before they were bowled out with nine balls remaining in their innings.

All-rounder Marco Jansen (3/27) and Australian seamer Daniel Worrall (2/29) spearheaded the Sunrisers attack, combining well to rip through the Capitals’ top-order.

Despite the Capitals looking down and out, the Sunrisers tumbled even more spectacularly, as they were reduced to 32/4 in the ninth over, still needing 94 runs from 63 deliveries with six wickets in hand.

Much like their opponents, the Eastern Cape side were forced to rely on their middle order, with Tristan Stubbs (35) and Patrick Kruger (22) sharing a 40-run stand for the fifth wicket to give their side a chance.

But Capitals skipper Wayne Parnell broke the partnership with six overs left and the breakthrough turned the match in his team’s favour with the next five wickets tumbling for just 30 runs.

Though Liam Dawson tried to put up a fight down the order, hitting 29 not out off 16 balls, it was not enough to get his side across the line.

In a superb all-round effort from the home team’s bowling attack, Parnell (3/33), Adil Rashid (3/30) and Daryn Dupavillon (2/21) carried their team to victory.

The Sunrisers remain in third position with four matches to play in the opening round.