• Capitals pull off SA20 heist in steaming Paarl

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    Outstanding bowling saw the Pretoria Capitals defend a below-par total against the Paarl Royals at Boland Park on Saturday.

    The Capitals’ 138-9 looked about 20 runs short, but Lungi Ngidi (1-35), Lizaad Williams (1-21), Gideon Peters (1-11) and Keshav Maharaj (2-14) restricted the Royals to 117-6 to earn a 21-run victory.

    On a sluggish surface that assisted both bowling units throughout, the contest was ultimately decided by the battle of the two big-hitting southpaws Sherfane Rutherford and David Miller.

    Rutherford has been excellent throughout the competition for the Capitals, and once again took the responsibility upon his shoulders to push his team up to a competitive total.

    With only Shai Hope contributing 22 off 21 balls upfront, Rutherford was content to bide his time initially before exploding at the death with two sixes off Hardus Viljoen’s last over to finish unbeaten on 42 off 35 balls.

    HIGHLIGHTS: Paarl Royals vs Pretoria Capitals

    The Royals’ chase was pegged back immediately when Ngidi picked up Lhuan-dre Pretorius with the second ball of the innings. This allowed the Capitals to chip away before Rubin Hermann tried to consolidate the home team’s chase by forming partnerships with Asa Tribe and Miller.

    But Hermann’s dismissal for 35 off 37 balls left the Royals at 67-4 and still needing 72 off 47 balls.

    The onus was now on Miller to lead from the front and match Rutherford’s earlier big-hitting heroics, and he looked to be turning the game in the Royals’ favour with successive sixes of Lungi Ngidi in the 16th over.

    Although he smashed one further maximum off Williams, the run-rate was still escalating due to his partner Delano Potgieter’s timing deserting him at this crucial juncture as the Royals were left needing a virtually impossible 30 runs off the final over.

    Miller (45 off 36 deliveries) perished in the process, falling off Williams’ first ball, and with it went any chance of an improbable Royals victory.

    The Capitals and Royals both have 15 points, but the Centurion-based side are placed higher in third position due to their superior net run-rate. The Royals have played one game less.

    Photo: Shaun Roy/Sportzpics

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    Simon Borchardt