• Raza seals dramatic last-ball victory for Royals

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    Durban’s Super Giants were left devastated after Sikandar Raza struck a six off the final ball to clinch a six-wicket victory for the Paarl Royals at Boland Park on Tuesday.

    The Royals required six runs off David Wiese’s final over, and the equation was reduced to two runs off the last delivery, when Raza held his nerve to send local fans into a state of delirium.

    It also saw the Royals close out a record chase at Boland Park after DSG had posted an imposing 186-5.

    Raza finished on 27* off 13 balls), but the Royals had plenty of heroes on this dramatic night with Rubin Hermann (65* off 45) and Dan Lawrence (63 off 41) keeping the chase afloat.

    The third-wicket partnership between Hermann and Lawrence was pivotal with the pair adding 106 runs off 61 balls.

    Lawrence was particularly severe on DSG’s spinners, smashing Simon Harmer for six along while taking a four and six off Liam Livingstone, to inject momentum into the innings.

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    It contrasted with Royals’ ace Afghanistan mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman delivering an economical spell of 2-22 amidst the onslaught from DSG’s power-packed batting unit.

    Captain Aiden Markram led the charge with 66 off 46 balls before Liam Livingstone (32* off 10) and Heinrich Klaasen (29 off 18) unleashed their power-hitting skills at the backend of the innings.

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    But ultimately it was not enough with the Royals moving up to second place on 19 points with their superior number of victories edging out Sunrisers into third position.

    DSG, meanwhile, remain in fifth place on 14 points and face a must-win final league-stage match against the Royals at Kingsmead on Saturday.

    Photo: Ron Gaunt/Sportzpics

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    Simon Borchardt