Watch, SA20 | De Kock welcomes Burger with stunning hit as umpire takes evasive action

‌Sunrisers Eastern Cape qualified for the SA20 playoffs for the forth-consecutive time with a 61-run win over Joburg Super Kings in Gqeberha on Wednesday. The home side’s opener Quinton de Kock (54) scored a strokeful half century, while James Coles pushed the total to 178/5 with a quickfire 61 off 34 balls on debut. Coles played a role with the ball too, picking up two wickets alongside Senuran Muthusamy’s three-fer to bowl the visitors out for 117.

De Kock looked in fine touch as he started off with a six and a couple of boundaries in the first two overs. But the best was yet to come as he welcomed Nandre Burger into the attack with a majestic hit in the first ball of the third over.

With Burger bowling a juicy half volley on the stumps first up, the wicketkeeper-batter was quick to respond. He had an excellent bat swing, meeting the ball right in the sweet spot before holding the pose with the full face of the bat.

The shot was so well-struck that the left-arm pacer had to take evasive action at the same time as his instincts brought up his left hand towards the ball. But the ball had flew past him by then, as the umpire also moved across to escape unscathed.

That was easily the shot of the day as de Kock added power to an elegant straight drive to derive maximum output. Burger was still in shock as he walked back to his mark for the next delivery.

What a shot!