Heinrich Klaasen’s heroics and a bit of rain gets Durban’s Super Giants over the line against MI Cape Town

Having had a rained-out opener between the defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Joburg Super Kings in Gqeberha on Wednesday evening, the second edition of the SA20 eventually got under way in Durban on Thursday evening.

Two of the poorest performers in the inaugural season, the Durban’s Super Giants and MI Cape Town, braced for a season of redemption at Kingsmead Stadium.

The two teams came prepared for the usually spinner-friendly conditions at Kingsmead, fielding two spinners in each playing eleven in Keshav Maharaj and Prenelan Subrayen for the hosts, while the visitors opted for the right-arm off-spin of Liam Livingstone and wrist-spinner in Thomas Kaber.

To get the season under way, Maharaj won his first toss as captain of the Super Giants, opted to insert the visitors to bat first and in came the opening duo of Rassie van der Dussen and Ryan Rickleton.

With bat in hand, Van der Dussen started the new year with what promised to be his new self in that he blasted a boundary in the very first over, a total opposite to the slow starter that he is known to be in whiteball cricket.

Soon after that, the right-handed batter seemed to have hit the reset button back to his factory settings and batted slowly for his 20-ball 24 runs before he was undone by West Indian Keemo Paul.

On the opposite end, Rickelton looked in just the right mood for a big score.

The left-handed batter blasted six boundaries and six maximums on his way to a 51-ball 87, setting the tone for the MI Cape Town batters in the new season. For the most part of his innings, the 27-year-old looked untroubled until he chopped onto his off-stump a slower delivery from Paul (2-31).

However, Rickelton had already caused enough damage for the middle-order to come in and play the big shots.

With a solid foundation set by Rickleton, Livingstone (25 off 20, 3x6) and captain Kieron Pollard (31 off 14, 4x4, 1x6) added the finishing touches, pushing the visitors’ score past the 200-run mark and set a daunting target for the hosts to try and chase.

As daunting as the target was, there was calm at Kingsmead as Quinton de Kock and Matthew Breetzke crossed the boundary ropes for a first dig of the season in the blue and red of the Super Giants.

But with Beuran Hendricks and Kagiso Rabada with the new Kookabura in hand and under the lights, it was never going to be easy going for the home batters. The new-ball pair quickly made inroads into the Super Giants batting line-up with a double strike and enjoyed watching De Kock (5) and Mulder (5) stroll back to the pavilion inside the first three overs.

Breetzke (39 off 24, 4x4, 2x6) and Klaasen put together a 47-run stand and rebuilt the hosts’ run-chase before Klaasen went berserk hitting eight maximums and four boundaries for his 35-ball 85.

The visitors brought Rabada (2/23) back into the attack and the fast bowler put a stop to the Klaasen party.

Soon after, with the hosts needing 31 off 21 deliveries, the heavens opened in Durban, leading into a Super Giants 11-run victory through the Duckworth-Lewis Stern Method.

@imongamagcwabe

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