The Johannesburg Super Kings have finally danced on the grave of their fiercest rival, as the victory that had been evading them has been attained. Having to pursue a modest target of 168 in 20, the run chase, driven by the young duo of Leus Du Plooy and Sibonelo Mankhanya after yet another early failure, was capped with a blinder from fan favourite Donovan Ferriera. A win that has moved us up the points table, and we now control our own destiny. Batting wasn’t the only department that drove us to our first victory of the season, but it was the frontline bowlers, led by Lizaad Williams, Nandre Burger and Romario Shepheard, who delivered excellent performances with the ball. We didn’t have the most spectacular start in the powerplay, but our bowlers responded with incredible planning and precision, sending their openers back within the powerplay.
The First Spell
The pendulum swung our way in the first powerplay when we got four wickets in the opening six overs, limiting the Capitals to 44 for the loss of four. Lizaad Williams and Nandre Burger split the spoils because their pairing was too hot to handle for the Capitals.
The New Pace Bowling Quartet
In the absence of Andrich Nortje, the Super Kings explored a variety of choices as their main frontline seamers, but they were unable to find a suitable trio. To fill the vacuum left by Nortje, they have found a solution in the shape of two all-rounders who are quite gifted. The Super Kings’ third seamers are David Wiese and Romario Shepherd, with Moeen Ali as a possible backup. T20 cricket has evolved into a sport that demands more all-rounders to make a balanced side, with all players expected to contribute game in and game out. The new fast bowling quartet established the game tempo by assisting one another, and Romario, the surprise performance, took three wickets himself, as did Lizaad. Lizaad has been the Super Kings’ main seamer this season, dominating the bowling stats.
Capitals Finish Strong
Although they were limited by the Super Kings’ bowling excellence, Kyle Verryenne stood out among the pandemonium, scoring an intact 52-ball-72 to ensure his team’s good finish. The Capitals concluded on 167 for a loss of nine wickets.
The Rebuild
Will Jacks struck twice during his powerplay spell, sinking both openers. Veteran Faf and Reeza are battling to reclaim their lost form, and with the rest of the team finally operating as a unit, it’s about time they started middling the ball and regaining their lost form. But from 16 for the loss of two wickets, newcomer Mankhaya and Leus Du Plooy took on the capitals’ bowling, stitching a 70-run partnership and rebuilding from their disastrous start. The promotion of Leus Du Plooy to third place worked well, as the debutant began middling the ball from the outset. The two looked good, and it would be interesting to see what they have to offer the Super Kings.
Key Moments and Turning Points in JSK vs PC
- Imran Tahir’s Comeback Spell
After conceding 12 in his first over during the powerplay, Imran Tahir allowed just 20 in his following three overs, including the wicket of James Neesham. His spell stalled the momentum and consistently applied pressure on the batsmen, limiting them to a very small score.
- Lizaad and Shepherd Cause Damage
Nandre Burger inflicted the greatest damage by discarding the top tier, although Lizaad Williams and Romario Shepherd finished with the best stats. The trio that completes and complements one another wins the match. Williams has again demonstrated why he is the finest bowler this season, and Burger has finally found his form. Shepherd exploited his skill set to establish a presence in the death overs with his variations, and he enjoyed the benefits.
- The Debutant Demolished
Mankhaya batted through the early wickets, standing strong and taking on the bowlers, relieving strain on the newly promoted number three, Leus Du Plooy. His 40-run innings were replete with crisp strokes, and this new blood instilled a whole different mindset that had been missing all along.
- Ferriera’s Dominance.
Donovan, who had been out of form all season, seized over and destroyed Viljoen in a game-changing moment that may develop into a season-changing one. He and Ali took Hardus for 22 runs, which transformed the complexion. Donnovan’s dominance against the pacers might have season-changing implications.
Our squad is finally playing as a complete, and our hitters are coming into form, so our qualification to the next stage is not entirely impossible. Our last three games will be against three major teams, but considering that we will face the Capitals again in a week, we must guarantee that we win our upcoming game against the Royals to boost our confidence for future tougher games. Don, you deserved to be man of the match.
