MI Cape Town off the bottom

Ryan Rickelton laid the foundation as bottom feeders MI Cape Town climbed the SA20 standings by holding off the Pretoria Capitals for a 34-run win in Centurion last night.

Chasing a massive total of 249 to win, the Capitals were restricted to 214/8.

Opening batter Will Jacks started with intent, knocking 26 off nine balls as he attempted to give his side a chance of maintaining the required run-rate, but his middle stump was flattened by Kagiso Rabada in the third over.

Kyle Verreynne then smashed a fighting century, albeit futile. He hit 116 not out off 52 balls (with seven fours and nine sixes), while captain Wayne Parnell (23) and Adil Rashid (21 not out) also made cameo contributions, but the hosts ultimately fell short.

Spin bowler Nuwan Thushara led the visiting team’s attack, taking 3/37 from his four overs with the ball.

Rickelton, already the highest run-scorer in the competition, had earlier flaunted his spectacular form at the top of the order after the visitors chose to bat, hitting his fifth half-century this season.

He made 90 runs off just 45 balls in an innings which featured 10 fours and five sixes, before being removed by Parnell in the 14th over.

And 20-year-old Dewald Brevis helped keep the visitors in control. After struggling to hit his straps throughout the campaign, Brevis finally came good by contributing an unbeaten 66 off 32 deliveries (including three fours and six sixes).

Parnell took three of the four scalps grabbed by his team, returning 3/57, but his impact did little to hinder the Cape Town batting line-up as they reached 248/4 - the highest score in the SA20 league this season.

While MI Cape Town climbed two places to fourth, the Capitals slipped to bottom spot. Both sides remained locked with fifthplaced Joburg Super Kings in a tight battle for the last available place in the play-offs.

The Pretoria and Cape Town sides will clash again in their return match at Newlands tomorrow, in their last matches of the first round.