Sunrisers Eastern Cape clinched a second consecutive SA20 title after thrashing Durban’s Super Giants by 89 runs in the final on Saturday. 

It was a final win where everyone contributed as the Orange Army’s elite seam bowling trio and destructive batting unit set up the emphatic victory for the league phase table toppers. 

First it was the batting quartet of Jordan Hermann (42 off 26), Tom Abell (55 off 34), Aiden Markram (42 off 26) and Tristan Stubbs (56 off 30), who each passed 40 at a strike rate above 160 that led the side to 204 for the loss of three wickets. 

Before Marco Jansen, Daniel Worrall and Ottniel Baartman tore through Durban’s Super Giants batting lineup that had been explosive throughout the tournament to restrict the losing finalists to 115 all out with 18 balls to spare.

Jansen picked up five wickets for 30 runs in his four overs with his swing and bounce up front as well as his clinical death bowling. 

The Sunrisers were on top from the outset, never letting their foot off the Super Giants’ necks both with bat and ball to ensure they are the only team to have lifted the SA20 trophy. 

The Eastern Cape side only lost two matches all season and showed their championship mettle when it mattered on Saturday.

Ottniel Baartman of Sunrisers Eastern Cape celebrates taking the wicket of Jon-Jon Smuts of Durban’s Super Giants. (Photo: Sportzpics)

Tristan Stubbs of Sunrisers Eastern Cape drives a delivery. (Photo: Sportzpics)

Marco Jansen of Sunrisers Eastern Cape celebrates taking the wicket of Durban’s Super Giants captain Keshav Maharaj. (Photo: Sportzpics)

Bowling exhibition

As has been the theme all season, the Sunrisers Eastern Cape seamers – who finished the tournament as the first- (Jansen, 20 wickets), second- (Baartman, 18 wickets) and third-highest (Worrall, 17 wickets) wicket-takers – did the damage up front. 

Worrall castled Quinton de Kock in the second over of the innings before Jansen knocked out both Jon-Jon Smuts and Bhanhuk Rajapaksa in the next. 

At 11 for three at the end of the fourth over, Durban’s Super Giants were already staring down the barrel. 

Wiaan Mulder (38 off 22) and Dwaine Pretorius (28 off 17) were the only Super Giants batters to threaten with the willow.

Baartman was only introduced in the ninth, after two big overs of 10 and 13 by Mulder. Baartman’s opening over only went for three runs. 

His next went for only seven as well as picking up the wickets of a stuttering Matthew Breetzke and the form batter of the tournament, Heinrich Klaasen, for a golden duck. 

With player of the season and batter of the season Klaasen dismissed, so vanquished the Super Giants’ chances of victory as they teetered their way to 115 all out in 17 overs.

Worrall only conceded 15 in his quota, picking up two scalps while Baartman conceded 17 runs in three overs with two wickets.

Off spinner Simon Harmer also picked up a solitary scalp.

Batting heaven

Sunrisers Eastern Cape started their innings with incredible intensity thanks to an outstanding third wicket partnership between Hermann and Abell, after the latter’s English compatriot, Dawid Malan (six off four), fell early. 

Despite the setback, the pair made use of the favourable batting conditions during the daylight at Newlands, clubbing the ball all over the picturesque stadium, adding 90 runs off 52 deliveries. 

Durban’s Super Giants’ wily skipper Keshav Maharaj got rid of both batters in the 11th over to provide some respite but it brought the devastating middle-order duo of Markram and Stubbs to the wicket.

Stubbs was inventive, while also using his brute strength to smash three sixes and four fours while Markram struck his boundaries with more conventional strokes, striking two fours and three sixes.

The destructive pair took off from the launchpad provided, smacking 98 runs off the final nine overs to guide the Eastern Cape side to 204 for the fall of three wickets. 

It was the highest score at Newlands this season and with Sunrisers’ electric bowling unit, their task was more than halfway done. DM