• JSK do DSG double after Super Over thriller

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    New Year’s Day delivered a first-ever SA20 Super Over after a 410-run thriller between the Joburg Super Kings and Durban’s Super Giants at the Wanderers.

    JSK wicketkeeper Donovan Ferreira sent the Bullring into a state of delirium when he threw down the stumps to run out Eathan Bosch off the final delivery which tied up the game with both teams finishing on 205.

    Richard Gleeson took on the responsibility of bowling the Super Over for JSK, and should have had Evan Jones caught at long-off the first delivery, but maintained his composure for the remainder of the five deliveries to restrict DSG to just six runs with Jones run out on the last ball.

    JSK had no trouble knocking off the target with Rilee Rossouw hitting two boundaries off Noor Ahmad to send the hosts to the top of the SA20 table after three consecutive victories. The Super Kings are now also the only unbeaten team remaining in the competition.

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    The regulation contest saw Shubham Ranjane’s maiden SA20 half-century set up JSK’s 205-4.

    The US international blazed an unbeaten 50 off 33 balls, which included four fours and two sixes. Ranjane shared an unbroken 49-run partnership off only 16 balls with Ferreira, who also flexed his muscles with 33* off 10 balls with one boundary and four sixes.

    It followed a solid 64-run partnership between Ranjane and Wiaan Mulder that regained the momentum for JSK after DSG had put the brakes on through spin pair Noor Ahmad and Simon Harmer during the middle period.

    Afghanistan star Noor Ahmad was excellent on the night, collecting figures of 3-12 from his four overs, while Harmer finished with 1-22. The DSG spin pair delivered their eight overs for a sum total of 4-33.

    But unfortunately for JSK, the seam trio of David Wiese (0-53 from three overs), Eathan Bosch (0-56 off four overs) and Kwena Maphaka (0-50 off four overs) leaking a combined 159 from their 11 overs.

    They were placed under pressure from the outset with JSK captain Faf du Plessis (47 off 30 balls) and partner Matthew de Villiers (38 off 26) turning up the heat with an opening stand of 89 in 8.4 overs.

    DSG’s entire top six all got started in the chase but the visitors could not put together any meaningful partnerships until captain Aiden Markram and Evan Jones produced a 60-run stand off only 24 balls to put the visitors in the hunt.

    But Markram held out to long-on off Gleeson (3-41) to set in motion the chaos that unfolded at the death.

    Jones kept DSG alive with a 17-ball 43, but his untimely run out off the first ball off the penultimate over and Gleeson clean bowling David Wiese off the very next ball swung the momentum back towards JSK.

    The drama was only beginning to unfold, though, with DSG requiring 15 runs off Wiaan Mulder’s final over.

    The Wanderers crowd was on the edge of their seats when Bosch struck the second delivery for six to put Mulder under pressure, who delivered two wides, before Harmer struck the penultimate ball for a boundary to tie up the game before Man of the Match Ferreira claimed a spectacular run out on a truly memorable SA20 New Year’s Day evening.

    Photo: Ron Gaunt/Sportzpics

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    Dylan Johnson