SA20 | Twitter reacts as disciplined Paarl Royals clinically defend 160 in opener against Pretoria Capitals

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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After a run-fest in Durban, SA20 capped off its first round of fixtures with a relatively low-scoring game in Paarl on Friday. The hosts scored 160/6 on the back of David Miller's anchoring effort and Andile Phehlukwayo's fireworks before regular wickets restricted the Capitals to 133/7.

‌After being asked to bat first, Paarl Royals got off to a flyer at Boland Park on the back of three boundaries and an elegant maximum from Jason Roy in his 23-run knock. James Neesham eventually broke the opening stand in the fifth over and Roy's compatriot Jos Buttler departed six balls later after struggling on the slow and gripping track, with the scorecard reading 44/2 at the end of the powerplay. The two scalps went a long way in restraining the scoring rate and earned Will Jacks the scalp of Wihaan Lubbe in the ninth over but Mitchell Van Buuren combined with David Miller to squash any chance of a collapse. Their 61-run stand, hallmarked by minimal risk-taking, ensured the team was well-placed at 116/4 with four overs to go after Buuren holed out for 28 but Miller failed to capitalize as his 33-ball stay for 41 ended untimely on the last ball on the 18th over. However, Andle Phehlukwayo ensured the team had enough to defend with a brutal unbeaten cameo of 28 at a strike rate of 200, taking the hosts to 160/6.
Phil Salt made his intentions clear straightaway in the second innings with three boundaries in the first over before Lungi Ngidi dealt the first blow by dismissing the dangerous Will Jacks cheaply with a sprinting catch off his own bowling. Salt responded with two lusty heaves beyond the fence and Obed McCoy restored balance again by having Theunis de Bruyn nick one to the keeper, the to-and-fro resulting in a powerplay score of 54/2. Eventually, the wickets proved to have a greater bearing on the game as the Royals scalped Rilee Roussow (29) and Salt (39) on either side of the halfway stage and gave away no boundaries for a 54-ball period between the 8th and 18th over. Consequently, the required run rate skyrocketed beyond achievable bounds, and only three fours from Jimmy Neesham in the final over kept the visitors from conceding a bonus point as they tapered along to 133/7 in their 20 overs, enduring a 27-run loss.

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