SA20 | Twitter reacts as vivacious Vilas and laborious Lubbe engineer Royal takedown of Super Kings

SA20 | Twitter reacts as vivacious Vilas and laborious Lubbe engineer Royal takedown of Super Kings

SportsCafe Desk

By SportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Paarl Royals practically sealed their place in the playoffs for a second consecutive season by registering a fifth win in six games at Johannesburg. A 95-run partnership off 53 balls saw the side chase down 169 with five wickets to spare, ensuring Reeza Hendricks's brilliant 79* went in vain.

ā€ŒWith theĀ pitch offering sharp turn from the very first ball, Joburg Super Kings crawled off the blocks before Faf du Plessis fell for less than run-a-ball 17 in the sixth over to extend his horror run in the tournament. However, Leus de Plooy took a polar opposite approach and teed off straight away to takeĀ his team to 37/1 at the end of the powerplay. He struck one maximum and three hits to the fence in his 16-ball blitz of 30, thus compensating for the sedate Reeza Hendricks at the other end, until falling victim to Andile Phehlukwayo at the halfway stage of the innings. The run rate plummeted thereon courtesy of brilliant spells by Fabian Allen and Bjorn Fortuin, eventually provoking Hendricks to break the shackles in the 15th over. Striking at under 100 till then, the opener began his charge withĀ a huge six off Tabraiz Shamsi and went on to clear the ropes twice more to end unbeaten on 79 off just 56 deliveries. Aided by Moeen Ali's rapid 12-ball cameo of 23*, the Super Kings accumulatedĀ 56 runs in the final four overs to post a competitive 168/3 on the board.
The Royals got off to a similarly slow start in tricky conditions as Jason Roy departed cheaply and his side managed a modest powerplay score of 40/1. Moeen Ali inflicted further misery immediately after by first deceiving compatriot Jos Buttler before sounding Mitchell Van Buuren the death knell in his ensuing overĀ to leaveĀ the visitors reeling at 64/3 after 10 overs. With the incumbent batter Wihan Lubbe struggling to get going, the onus fell on injured skipper David Miller's replacement Dane Vilas and he delivered with aplomb. The veteran used all his experience to strategically take the attack to the opposition andĀ Lubbe inevitably took inspiration. The duo engineered a pivotalĀ onslaught that reaped them 53 runs in four overs before Lubbe departed for a 47-ball 58 in the 18th over. Even though Vilas himself was run-out soon after for 42 at a strike rate ofĀ 161.53, Fabian Allen's 7-ball 17 saw the Royals across the chequered flag with five balls to spare andĀ leaving Joburg placed at the bottom of the table.Ā 

The real problems

Its for sure

Should settle

Wicket storm

Why so?

What a ball

On roll

Superfans

Still in wonder

Poor performance again

KKK

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