SA20 | Twitter reacts as Miller-Mitchell stand for Royals trumps Roussow's heroics in high-scoring humdinger

SA20 | Twitter reacts as Miller-Mitchell stand for Royals trumps Roussow's heroics in high-scoring humdinger

SportsCafe Desk

By SportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Paarl Royals registered their second win in as many games against Pretoria Capitals in SA 2024 by successfully defending a total of 210 at Centurion on Sunday. David Miller and Mitchell Van Buuren combined for 141 runs before Lungi Ngidi's four scalps outpowered Rilee Roussow's belligerent 82.

‌After being asked to bat first again in the reverse fixture, Paarl Royals got off to a rapid start and sailed past fifty within the powerplay despite Jason Roy departing cheaply early in the innings. Pretoria Capitals pegged back the momentum briefly by first dismissing Wihaan Lube in the sixth over and then sending Jos Buttler back to the hut after a rapid 39 in the ninth over. However, as was the case at Boland Park, David Miller and Mitchell Van Buuren stitched together a pivotal third-wicket partnership, only this time surviving till the death to deal some explosive damage. The duo stayed unbeaten through the end and combined for 141 runs off just 71 deliveries, with both batsmen striking at nearly 180. The skipper smoked eight boundaries and three maximums in his 42-ball 75 while Van Buuren's 40-ball 70 featured seven fours and three efforts past the fence, taking the Royals to a daunting total of 210 in their 20 overs.
Lungi Ngidi ensured Pretoria Capitals' chase got off to a horrid start by accounting for the in-form Phil Salt and Theunis de Bruyn in the very first over, handing the visitors a significant early edge. Will Jacks and Rillee Roussow ensured the blows did not turn out to be decisive by going gung-ho for the next 76 balls, propelling the score past 150, and getting the victory within sights. However, Ngidi struck again in his second spell to break the dangerous partnership by dismissing Jacks for 58 off 45 before Roussow's 45-ball blitzkrieg of 82 ended the very next over. The game stood in the balance once again with the required equation 58 in 34 balls and remained so even after James Neesham's quickfire cameo of 20 in nine deliveries, courtesy of the wickets that kept tumbling. 153/4 thus became 187/7 with 15 balls to go as Ngidi completed a four-wicket haul. The Capitals thereafter simply ran out of firepower and a cramping Obed McCoy defended 14 runs in an exceptional final over, handing the Capitals their second straight loss to start the campaign.



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