07/02Result
30th Match (D/N), SA20 at Centurion, Feb 7 2023
Capitals won by 59 runs
Player of the Match
Kusal Mendis
Kusal MendisPretoria Capitals
07/02Result
30th Match (D/N), SA20 at Centurion, Feb 7 2023
Capitals won by 59 runs
Player of the Match
Kusal Mendis
Kusal MendisPretoria Capitals

END OF OVER:
20 | 9 Runs 1 Wkt | PR: 167/9 (60 runs required, RR: 8.35)

  • Lungi Ngidi2 (3b)
  • Codi Yusuf2 (2b)
  • Adil Rashid3-0-18-2
  • James Neesham2-0-28-3

Time for the presentations.

David Miller: "We wanted to go out and win the game but got into a sticky situation so reassessed. They batted really well but there are areas we have to chat about... not a great game for us in all departments but we're in the semi-finals. We've got matchwinners all the way through, Jos showed class and maturity, but we have to come together and put a big performance in tomorrow. It'll be different conditions, a new game, we'll be up for it."

Kusal Mendis is Player of the Match. "Good start in the first six overs... I was happy with my innings, everyone looked to make runs, chasing 200 easily... the team is very together, we know how to play, got on really well in the last two games.

Theunis de Bruyn "Nice to win, to be honest we would have liked to keep them out and face the team that gave us a hiding the other day... but we play to win, and same opposition in different conditions. Will assess tomorrow. We've played as a unit throughout the competition and we play to win."

So on that, it's a wrap. We're into the final four. Capitals vs Royals, and JSK versus Sunrisers, for a place in the inaugural SA20 final. See you tomorrow, same time, different place!

9.07pm So... that was a bit tense! As 59-run wins go, that was a cliffhanger... and the upshot is that these two go again in the first semi-final tomorrow night, as Durban's faint hopes were raised from the dead only to be dashed again.

A thumping display from Pretoria, powered by some stunning hitting from Mendis, Salt, Neesham and Ingram, who seemed to be playing on a different surface. In reply, Jos Buttler's innings looked imposing in the final analysis, but his 70 from 45 was an unusually sketchy affair by his standards, and he lacked any meaningful support in the tense latter stages of the chase.

Sumer mehta: "The most victorious hammering I've ever seen"

Bhargav : "Based on the capitals mindset. I think Paarl Royals are going to make the final tomorrow. Capitals will regret this stupidity "

19.6
0
Rashid to Ngidi, no run, a big wipe at the legbreak, misses out... and that's the end of that

Vijay : "Why Rashid ? Why not Pretorius? " Legspin to the tail.. it makes sense

19.5
2
Rashid to Ngidi, 2 runs, hoisted to backward square with a free-wheeling swing of the bat. The jeopardy is gone
19.4
2lb
Rashid to Ngidi, 2 leg byes, down the leg side, and flicks off the pads, away through fine leg. That'll do away with any doubts

They'd better hope they haven't done a Boucher and misread their D/L equivalent!... a single might be opportune here

19.3
W
Rashid to Fortuin, OUT, attempts the reverse sweep with nothing riding on the stroke, and back goes the stumps

BC Fortuin b Rashid 8 (20m 8b 1x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

19.2
4b
Rashid to Fortuin, 4 byes, byes for the win! Extra bounce, turn down the leg side as Fortuin flings the bat at thin air, the keeper is baffled... the qualification is secure!

Mid-off, mid-on, cover and square leg are all back

19.1
1
Rashid to Codi Yusuf, 1 run, tight line from the leggie, tapped into the covers for the smartly judged single. Well played

Five to qualify and Rashid has the ball

END OF OVER:
19 | 19 Runs 1 Wkt | PR: 158/8 (69 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 8.31, RRR: 69.00)

  • Bjorn Fortuin8 (6b)
  • Codi Yusuf1 (1b)
  • James Neesham2-0-28-3
  • Anrich Nortje4-0-14-1
18.6
4
Neesham to Fortuin, FOUR, very full, and that's a gutsy stroke! Presents the full face of the blade through the ball, angled upwards to impart some oomph with mid-off in the ring, and long-off can't cut it off. Vital boundary that buys the tail some wriggle room in a tense final over...
18.5
1
Neesham to Codi Yusuf, 1 run, on the back foot, flicked off the legs for the single... midwicket is too deep to intercept
18.4
W
Neesham to Buttler, OUT, pulled, top-edged, gone! Is it too little too late, if not for Capitals, then for Durban? Buttler goes for broke as Neesham bangs it in, outside off and fails to get over his stroke as short backward square back-pedals. Still, a magnificent innings in adversity... scratchy at first but authoritative when it needed to be

JC Buttler c Rossouw b Neesham 70 (81m 45b 4x4 5x6) SR: 155.55

Ten to qualify from eight balls... It's looking healthier now...

18.3
4
Neesham to Buttler, FOUR, short, swivels through his pull, a touch top-edged, but the shorter boundary comes to his aid. Short midwicket can't get close, and nor can the sweepers
18.2
4
Neesham to Buttler, FOUR, Pushed across the right-hander again, and out come those spring-loaded wrists, unleashing up and over wide long-off again!
18.1
6
Neesham to Buttler, SIX, inside-out and pounded over extra cover! That's magnificent, round the wicket, pushing the ball across the right-hander, challenging him to hit to the long boundary, and he smokes it!

Neesham will bowl his third

END OF OVER:
18 | 4 Runs | PR: 139/7 (88 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 7.72, RRR: 44.00)

  • Bjorn Fortuin4 (5b)
  • Jos Buttler56 (41b)
  • Anrich Nortje4-0-14-1
  • Colin Ingram2-0-21-0

J Pearce: "@Neville - Jos didn't open today though - came in the 4th over!" This is also true

17.6
0
Nortje to Fortuin, no run, slower bouncer, loops over the thrashing bat as Buttler misses his pull
17.5
1
Nortje to Buttler, 1 run, very full, outside off, flashed into the covers

Two more balls for Nortje to make a decisive impact

17.4
1
Nortje to Fortuin, 1 run, flashed off the back foot to deep point
17.3
0
Nortje to Fortuin, no run, squared up on the back foot, and pushed into the off side
17.2
1
Nortje to Buttler, 1 run, cracked urgently off the back foot, into the covers. Decent stop that, the ball was travelling
17.1
1
Nortje to Fortuin, 1 run, pressed into the covers, and they burgle the single to get Buttler back on strike. Bonus

END OF OVER:
17 | 18 Runs | PR: 135/7 (92 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 7.94, RRR: 30.66)

  • Jos Buttler54 (39b)
  • Bjorn Fortuin2 (1b)
  • Colin Ingram2-0-21-0
  • James Neesham1-0-9-2

Odd decision to bowl Ingram, and not just in hindsight. Maybe the Capitals management reckon Durban aren't the team they want to keep alive after all!

16.6
6
Ingram to Buttler, SIX, yee-har, the Bos is back in town! Swings gleefully through a tossed-up leggie, dipping on a good length, and clobbered onto the grass at midwicket, that's a 36-ball fifty, for a guy who hasn't been in form today
16.5
2
Ingram to Buttler, 2 runs, down the track again, but can't connect properly, under-edged to the leg-side, and hurtles the first, desperate to keep the strike
16.4
0
Ingram to Buttler, no run, on the back foot, pressed into the covers
16.3
4
Ingram to Buttler, FOUR, wiped through the line! Buttler skips to the pitch, and almost takes out the umpire with a murderous swing of the axe!

SA20 News

Royals 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st30JJ RoyPR Stirling
2nd0JJ RoyJC Buttler
3rd8JC ButtlerM Van Buuren
4th29EJG MorganJC Buttler
5th34JC ButtlerDA Miller
6th14JC ButtlerAL Phehlukwayo
7th0JC ButtlerE Jones
8th38JC ButtlerBC Fortuin
9th10BC FortuinCodi Yusuf
10th4L NgidiCodi Yusuf