Sunrisers Eastern Cape power into second SA20 Final

Cape Town, Feb 7 (IANS) Seamers, Ottniel Baartman and Marco Jansen powered the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to their second consecutive SA20 final after a convincing 51-run victory over Durban’s Super Giants in the Qualifier 1 here at Newlands.

Cape Town, Feb 7 (IANS) Seamers, Ottniel Baartman and Marco Jansen powered the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to their second consecutive SA20 final after a convincing 51-run victory over Durban’s Super Giants in the Qualifier 1 here at Newlands.

The defending champions were superior in all facets on Tuesday night, and will now spend the week in Cape Town in the build-up to Saturday's final.

Durban’s Super Giants (DSG) will travel to Johannesburg, where they will meet the winner of match between Paarl Royals and Joburg Super Kings in Qualifier 2 at the Wanderers on Thursday, for a second opportunity to advance to the final.

Opener Dawid Malan held the Sunrisers’ innings together with his second half-century of the competition. The Englishman rediscovered his touch with 63 off 45 that formed the cornerstone of the Sunrisers’ 157/8, which was disrupted by a two-hour rain delay.

Captain, Aiden Markram, also contributed 30 off 23 balls, but the skipper’s dismissal set about a collapse that saw the defending champions lose five wickets for 29 runs.

Two run-outs, and some excellent death bowling from Junior Dala (2/35) provided DSG with momentum heading into their run chase.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape were provided with the perfect start though with Marco Jansen (4/16) removing Tony de Zorzi in the second over. De Zorzi was the first of Jansen’s four scalps on the night.

But the game-changing over of the evening came when Baartman delivered a double-wicket maiden. The right-arm seamer has been consistent throughout the competition for the Sunrisers, with his 4/10 propelling him to the top of the SA20 wicket-takers leaderboard.

His first wicket saw Matthew Breetzke top-edge a flyer to wicket-keeper Tristan Stubbs. The second was, however, due to brilliant piece of athleticism from Markram, with the skipper throwing out one hand whilst in the air to help dismiss Jon Jon Smuts at mid-on.

The Super Giants still had the dangerous Quinton de Kock at the crease, but he too was sent back to the dugout courtesy of another fantastic caught and bowled from Liam Dawson. The left-arm spinner also had DSG’s top-scorer Wiaan Mulder (38) caught in the deep.

The Sunrisers, however, knew that whilst Heinrich Klaasen was still at the crease the Super Giants were always still in the hunt. And that’s when Baartman held his nerve by having Klaasen (23 off 15 balls), caught behind just when the Proteas superstar was starting to warm up.

Klaasen’s dismissal signalled the end of DSG’s challenge on the night, with Jansen running through the tail to ensure a smooth passage to the final for the Sunrisers.