Johannesburg — MI Cape Town have their bases covered in all departments and it is this depth that saw them overcome the Joburg Super Kings in their Betway SA20 clash at Newlands on Saturday evening.
MI Cape Town made a host of changes to their starting line-up with Kagiso Rabada, Waqar Salamkheil and Odean Smith handed SA20 debuts.
Rabada made an immediate impact with the Proteas fast bowler charging in from the Wynberg End. He certainly enjoyed his battle with fellow Protea Reeza Hendricks and thoroughly enjoyed uprooting the JSK opener’s off stump.
Hendricks has endured a miserable SA20 tournament thus far, but to be fair neither has the rest of the JSK batting unit.
After being skittled for just 81 in their previous game against Paarl Royals on Friday, the visitors followed it up with yet another dismal batting performance to finish on 105/9 in their allotted 20 overs to complete a miserable weekend in the Western Cape.
It was almost a carbon-copy from the dismal showing in Paarl as they once again could not find a way to combat high-quality spin.
The MI Cape Town spin trio of George Linde, Waqar Salamkheil and Rashid Khan tied the JSK batting unit up in knots as they delivered their collective total of 12 overs for a sum total of 5/63.
JSK could not recover from that calamitous middle-order period which exposed the tail as Rabada (2/12) and Smith (2/18) closed out the innings.
The Newlands faithful that crammed into the stadium for the third consecutive match had come to be entertained and Dewald Brevis and Ryan Rickelton ensured they were during the run chase.
The two youngsters enjoy batting together and immediately transferred the pressure on to the JSK bowling unit with a 65-run opening stand.
Rickleton was the first to depart for 21, but Brevis continued blazing away as he belted three sixes and two boundaries in his 34-ball 42.
JSK’s primary ambition at this stage of the game was to deny MI Cape Town the extra bonus point and would take some solace from the fact they managed to achieve it.
But MI Cape Town were not going to be denied the victory with Sam Curran delivering the winning runs with a lofted cover drive to send the Newlands fans home with a smile yet again.
SCORECARD
Joburg Super Kings: 105/9 (Leus du Plooy 21, Janneman Malan 16, Kagiso Rabada 2/12, Odean Smith 2/10)
MI Cape Town: 107/3 (Dewald Brevis 42, Ryan Rickelton 21, Gerald Coetzee 2/24, Romario Shepherd 1/14)
MI Cape Town by seven wickets
IOL Sport