NEW DELHI: Defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape showcased grit and determination to register a commanding 52-run victory over the Pretoria Capitals in the SA20 on Wednesday night. The win not only marked their third consecutive bonus-point triumph but also cemented their position as serious title contenders.
With their impressive form, the Sunrisers remain in third position with 15 points, while the Capitals languish in fifth with nine. The victory reflected Sunrisers’ resilience, having recovered from a perilous 53/5 after an impressive start from Capitals seamers Eathan Bosch (3/33) and new recruit Jason Behrendorff.
Sunrisers skipper Aiden Markram played a pivotal role, anchoring the innings with a brilliant 68 not out off 55 balls, supported by vital cameos from Liam Dawson (25 off 11) and Marco Jansen (24 off 24), pushing the team to a defendable total of 149/7.
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Jansen then shone with the ball, delivering a sensational new-ball spell of 4/13, leaving the Capitals’ top order in disarray at 28/4. Ably backed by Richard Gleeson (1/22), Jansen’s heroics positioned him as a top contender for the SA20 Season 3 Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
Although rookie Keagan Lion-Cachet (22 years old) demonstrated potential with a gritty 28, and Marques Ackerman offered brief resistance, the Capitals struggled to mount a recovery. Liam Dawson (3/17) cleaned up the tail, ensuring the Sunrisers secured another crucial bonus point.
Reflecting on the match, Marco Jansen praised his team’s effort, saying, “I still felt like they had enough batters to pull it off. I felt when they were six down, then I started feeling a bit more comfortable. But even at that stage, they needed eight and a half runs an over, which is definitely doable on this wicket. Yeah, the brothers really did their job today.”
Jansen also emphasised the team’s mindset after rebounding from a slow start to the season, “We’re trying to keep it level because we lost our first three games. Now winning three games on the bounce, we just try and stay as level as possible because we know any team can beat any team on the day. Just lucky for us, we managed to do that three times as well.”
Capitals head coach Jonathan Trott, meanwhile, acknowledged the stellar performance from the opposition and lamented his side’s missed opportunities.
“I thought the way that Marco played was good. I thought he read the situation really well—the conditions, what was needed for his side at the time. And I think it would have been nice if our batters had recognized that and played accordingly as well, adjusting the way he did to the surface,” Trott remarked.
