SA20: JSK hold nerve in Paarl, set up eliminator rematch with Royals

A late Leus du Plooy six-hitting display and a brilliant spin-bowling exhibition powered Joburg Super Kings into the Betway SA20 playoffs after a bonus-point 45-run victory over the Paarl Royals at Boland Park on Monday evening.

With a win required to squeeze the Super Kings into the final four, Leus stepped up, blazing an unbeaten 54 off 27 balls (5x4, 3x6) to propel the visitors to 166/5, with 32 runs coming off the final two overs.



Du Plooy, a late replacement for the injured Faf du Plessis, turned the game on its head when he bludgeoned Waqar Salamkheil — the Royals’ best bowler up to that point — for two sixes and a boundary, before Dian Forrester smashed a further maximum off the final ball of the penultimate over.

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The late surge swung Monday’s contest dramatically in favour of the Super Kings, who had earlier struggled for momentum despite solid but unspectacular contributions from Neil Timmers (37 off 39 balls), Michael Pepper and Matthew de Villiers (both 27 off 23 balls).

The Royals were left shell-shocked by the onslaught and stumbled throughout their run chase, which was further hampered by the absence of injured captain David Miller.

JSK spin duo Prenelan Subrayen (3/14) and Imran Tahir (2/17) then beat the Royals at their own game. Exploiting the conditions superbly, the pair delivered a spin masterclass, with their combined seven overs yielding five wickets for just 31 runs.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius (32 off 25 balls) battled valiantly at the top of the order, while Dan Lawrence (45 off 29 balls) kept the flames burning, but the Royals could ultimately muster only 122 all out.


Sunrisers Eastern Cape topped the group standings with 28 points and will face second-placed Pretoria Capitals (24 points) in Qualifier 1 at Kingsmead on Wednesday.

The Royals (24 points) and Joburg Super Kings (22 points) will meet again in a rematch in the Eliminator at Centurion on Thursday.

Brief Scores Joburg Super Kings: 166 for 5 in 20 overs (Leus du Plooy 54 not out; Waqar Salamkheil 2/42)
Paarl Royals: 122 all out in 18.1 overs (Dan Lawrence 45; Prenelan Subrayen 3/14, Imran Tahir 2/17)


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