COETZEE AND BURGER BRING THE HEAT TO THE IPL

In another weekend of thrilling action, all the focus was on the speed gun as records were shattered.

Joburg Super Kings tearaway Gerald Coetzee may still be easing his way back to full fitness in the wickets column for Mumbai Indians after missing the entire Betway SA20 Season 2 through injury, but he is certainly putting his body to the full test.

Coetzee, also known as “The Karate Kid” for his trademark headband, let rip in the match against Rajasthan Royals over the weekend.

The 23-year-old sent down the fastest ball of IPL 2024 thus far with a delivery timed at 157.4 km/h.  

It came in the last ball of Rajasthan's successful chase at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium, with Riyan Parag getting the top-edge to the short delivery as the ball flew high over the wicketkeeper's head for a boundary.

Coetzee's delivery eclipsed Lucknow Super Giants’ Mayank Yadav’s 155.8 km/h delivery a few nights ago against Punjab Kings.

Coetzee's Proteas teammate Nandre Burger is also relishing the opportunity of playing in his first IPL for the Rajasthan Royals.

Burger, who plays for the Joburg Super Kings in the Betway SA20, has been given full license to go out and burst open the engines by the Royals, as he is often used as an Impact Player in the PowerPlay.

The left-arm seamer is thoroughly enjoying sharing the new ball with fellow southpaw New Zealand legend Trent Boult.

Burger once again claimed an impressive 2/30 and in the process rocketing up to third place on the speed rankings with a delivery timed at 153.3 km/h.

There was also a feel-good comeback story for Paarl Royals teenager Kwena Maphaka. The St Stithians Matric pupil was taught a few lessons on his IPL debut for a Mumbai Indians a few days ago, but came back strongly by picking up his maiden IPL wicket against the Royals at the Wankhede. Maphaka had Indian superstar Yashasvi Jaiswal caught in the covers. The left-arm seamer, who was the highest wicket-taker at the recent ICC U19 World Cup, delivered a full delivery with a hint of away movement. It was a significant moment in Maphaka’s fledgeling career as Jaiswal had recently struck two Test double centuries against England.

It was primarily a quiet weekend with the bat for most of the Betway SA20 stars, although there was a welcome return form for Durban's Super Giants duo Quinton de Kock and Nicholas Pooran for Lucknow Super Giants. De Kock struck 54 off 38 balls, while West Indian Pooran contributed 42 off 21 deliveries.

 Sunrisers Hyderabad duo Aiden Markram (Sunrisers Eastern Cape) and Heinrich Klaasen (Durban's Super Giants) could not repeat their pyrotechnics display of earlier in the week with Markram departing for 17 and Klaasen (24 off 13 balls).

MI Cape Town’s Rashid Khan, who plays for Gujarat Titans in the IPL, won this round of his on-going battle with Klaasen.

There was better fortune for Paarl Royals captain David Miller, who took the Titans home with an undefeated 44 off 27 balls. 

MI Cape Town’s English duo enjoyed a solid weekend with Sam Curran (3/28) and Liam Livingstone (28* off 17 balls) putting in decent performances with ball and bat respectively for Punjab Kings.