DSG hold their nerve to seal final-over thriller
Both teams saw their middle orders wobble, but DSG's openers ensured they were able to see off a tricky chase
Both teams saw their middle orders wobble, but DSG's openers ensured they were able to see off a tricky chase
Scorer: Thilak Ram | Commentator: Rashad Mahbub
By securing today's victory, the Durban's Super Giants have kept their Playoff dreams alive, climbing into fifth place on the ladder. That wraps up our coverage for today, folks! Thank you for tuning in. Do join us again tomorrow as the race for the top four continues to heat up in the SA20. Goodbye for now!
Aiden Markram: "Fortunately, the win is the biggest thing at this stage, so it's nice to get some points. We are in a position now where it feels like a must-win every time. It got quite close and niggly, but you take the points and a couple of lessons with it. The wickets can be challenging here and can get slower throughout the innings. We're very blessed to have two really good spinners and Livingstone, who gives it a great rip. The boys bowled really well. Those last three overs cost us quite a bit; a couple of bad balls, but also a couple of really good shots off the plan. A lot of credit must go to Stubbs. Walking off, we probably thought they had a couple too many at the interval, but luckily we got off to a decent start. The boys built a few small partnerships that go a long way on a wicket like this and managed to just get them in. [Attacking approach] It wasn't a preset plan, really. They've obviously got a really good bowling attack that has done well this comp, and at some stage, you need to take a risk; otherwise, they're just going to keep bowling well to you. It was more about backing the options we felt made sense in those conditions. I would have loved to kick on because if you can extend that start by another 30 runs, you make a really big impact. I missed a trick there, but it was nice to get a good start for the boys. [Backend of the run chase] No, it was a massive 50/50. When the comp goes the way it has for us--no rhythm, which is partly on us, some tough conditions, and rain--you'd normally think it should be a canter. But in positions like this, it's always going to be a lot harder. That's just how the game works. I expected it to be hard work in the end, so I'm glad we got over the line. Again, there are better ways we could have done things, and we'll look forward to those conversations tomorrow."
Player of the Match, Tristan Stubbs: "The second innings ebbed and flowed. They got away from us at the start, and we couldn't rein them back in. It was one of those St. George's days where the powerplay is crazy, then it slows down, and you can get going again at the end. [Gregory bowling only one over] Hindsight is a lovely thing, but the four guys out there were great. Unfortunately, we just couldn't get it done. [Had it under control?] I never felt that. They only needed six and a half runs an over, but we knew we were always one wicket away. Unfortunately, we couldn't get over the line. The way the weekend has gone, the organizers must be happy as it brings everyone together. We have two more home games; we haven't done that well at home this season, and we owe this crowd a good performance. [Nice to get a few runs off the bat] Yeah, but unfortunately, we couldn't get the win. [Winning the award] I'm slightly disappointed. I think if you break it down, the things we always speak about have shown when we haven't done them well. We've lost two games now, and both have gone into the last over. That's a sign that even when we aren't playing our best, we are still taking games deep; we aren't getting blown out of the water. Those are the positives we can take. There was a lot of good today, but unfortunately, we just couldn't get over the line."
Mustafa Moudi : "Really sad that SEC lost not because I was supporting them, but because they dared to break the norm and bat first. Now again Teams would blindly opt to Field First !!"
7:11 pm It was a high-stakes battle of nerves, but Durban's Super Giants eventually held their composure to cross the line and secure vital points. The chase began with real intent, spearheaded by the skipper Markram, who set the tone by thrashing Milne with four consecutive boundaries in the second over. On a surface that rewarded aggressive stroke play against the new ball, the DSG openers capitalized perfectly. Their explosive 49-run opening stand only came to an end thanks to a moment of individual brilliance from Jansen, who pulled off a stunning catch at long-off to dismiss Markram. Ackerman picked up exactly where Markram left off, scoring 20 runs from Milne's final over in the powerplay to boost the Super Giants to 71/1 after six overs. Ackerman eventually departed for a brisk 45 off 26 balls, dragging a wide delivery from Nortje onto his stumps. The momentum stalled slightly after his departure, and the experimental promotion of Narine backfired as he departed for a duck. However, a 19-run over from Nortje reignited the chase. The Eastern Cape spinners then dragged their side back into the contest, removing heavy hitters Jos Buttler and Heinrich Klaasen to leave the game on a knife-edge. The tension peaked when David Bedingham threw his wicket away immediately after the second strategic timeout against a slower ball. Ultimately, it was Gerald Coetzee's fearless cameo and the lower order's steady nerves that guided the Super Giants home. While the Sunrisers squeezed remarkably hard in the final overs, they couldn't quite stop Durban from clinching a thriller.
Durban's Super Giants won by 2 wickets
Scores Level Attacking field setup.
Nail-biting moment: 3 runs needed from 5 balls.
4 runs needed from the last over. Nortje to bowl the last one.
Maphaka in
G Coetzee b Milne 13 (8m 6b 1x4 1x6) SR: 216.66
Both teams saw their middle orders wobble, but DSG's openers ensured they were able to see off a tricky chase