Published 18:17 IST, February 7th 2024

Sunrisers reach second consecutive SA20 final

Defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape reached their second consecutive Betway SA20 final after securing a convincing 51-run victory over Durban’s Super Giants in the rain-affected Qualifier 1 here.

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Sunrisers Eastern Cape FC | Image: (@Sunrisers_Ec) / X
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Defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape reached their second consecutive Betway SA20 final after securing a convincing 51-run victory over Durban’s Super Giants in the rain-affected Qualifier 1 here.

The match was stopped for around an hour due to heavy rain on Tuesday but no overs were lost. The final will be played on Saturday here while eliminator and second qualifier will take place in Johannesburg.

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After Dawid Malan’s (63) measured half-century which helped Sunrisers put up a modest 157/8 on the board, the pace duo of Marco Jansen(4/16) and Ottniel Baartman (4/10) ripped through Durban’s Super Giants’ batting line-up, bowling them out for 106 in 19.3 overs.

The two shared eight wickets between them.

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Jansen drew first blood, dismissing opener Tony de Zorzi cheaply in the second over. But the game-changer was Baartman, who took two wickets in a maiden fourth over. The right-arm seamer, with his 4/10 is now the leading wicket-taker in the league.

He first dismissed Matthew Breetzke, who edged the ball straight to wicketkeeper Tristan Stubbs.

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A brilliant piece of athleticism from Aiden Markram resulted in Baartman’s secons scalp. The skipper took a sensational one-handed stunner at mid-on to help dismiss Jon Jon Smuts.

The Super Giants had their hopes pinned on the dangerous Quinton de Kock but he too was sent back courtesy Liam Dawson’s caught and bowled effort in the 11th over. The left-arm spinner also had DSG’s top-scorer Wiaan Mulder (38) caught in the deep.

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Baartman then had the big-hitting Heinrich Klaasen (23 off 15 balls) caught behind just when the Proteas superstar was starting to warm up.

Klaasen’s dismissal signalled the end of DSG’s challenge on the night with Jansen running through the tail to ensure a smooth passage to the final for the Sunrisers.

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15:21 IST, February 7th 2024