News

PAARL ROYALS STARS DOMINATE IN CSA T20 CHALLENGE EASTER WEEKEND ACTION

2 Apr 20244 mins

The Warriors remain the premier team in the competition with eight wins from eight matches and seem destined to follow the same path as the Betway SA20 champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape, who they share St George's Park in Gqeberha with, in going all the way.

Sunrisers star Beyers Swanepoel showed his versatility over the weekend with the all-rounder being promoted to No 3 in the Warriors’ clash with Western Province in the first match of the double-header at Boland Park on Sunday.

Swanepoel was in devastating form as he blasted 47 not out off just 20 balls to drive the Warriors to a nine-wicket victory. The innings was kickstarted with two sixes off his very first two deliveries before finishing the match in the very same manner.

The cameo boosted Swanepoel’s overall strike-rate in the competition to a hugely impressive 209.7.

Beyers Swanepoel, Sunrisers Eastern Cape - Betway SA20

BETWAY SA20 CONTINUE PERFORMING

Durban's Super Giants opener and Warriors captain Matthew Breetzke certainly enjoys playing against Western Province as he struck his second half-century of the competition against the men from Newlands. Breetzke cracked five boundaries and two sixes from 48 balls to end unbeaten on 62.

MI Cape Town’s George Linde top-scored for Western Province with 30 off 25 balls, while Pretoria Capitals’ captain Wayne Parnell also contributed 22 not out off 14 balls.

MI Cape Town's Neelan van Heerden (2/25) was the Warriors' best bowler on the day.

Matthew Breetzke & Tony De Zorzi Betway SA20 Durban's Super Giants Opening Pairing

The second match on Sunday saw the Lions face the home team Paarl Rocks, but it was the visitors from up north that triumphed comfortably by the identical nine-wicket margin.

The benefits of playing Betway SA20 was certainly tangible in this match with the Lions’ Paarl Royals trio of Bjorn Fortuin, Evan Jones and Nqabayomzi Peter all playing significant roles in the victory. The experience of spending a month with the Royals at Boland Park came to full fruition in this clash. Fortuin, who is virtually unplayable at Boland Park during Betway SA20 for the Royals, was once again excellent with figures of (2/15), but it was the performance of young leg-spinner Nqabayomzi Peter that really caught the eye. The 21-year-old, who made his Royals debut at St George's Park during Season 2, produced the excellent figures of 3/14 to restrict the Rocks to a below-par total.

The Lions had no trouble in hauling in the target with Joburg Super Kings opener Reeza Hendricks masterminding the run-chase with an unbeaten on 53 in 47 balls.

In similar fashion to the Warriors earlier in the day, the Lions also promoted the big-hitting Jones with the Royals all-rounder smashing 43 off 27 balls, including three fours and two sixes.

In Monday's double-header in Potchefstroom, it was another Paarl Royals all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo who caught the eye with a late burst of 30 not out 22 balls and claimed 1/28 from his four over for the Dolphins in their clash with the Tuskers. Phehlukwayo was well supported by Durban’s Super Giants’ Prenelan Subrayen’s 28 not off 15 balls and 1/23.

Fellow Paarl Royal Keith Dudgeon’s 35 off 23 balls was not enough though for the Tuskers as the KwaZulu-Natal derby went the way of the Dolphins.

The second match between the Titans and North West Dragons was unfortunately abandoned to rain, but there was enough time for Joburg Super Kings batter Sibonelo Makhanya (52 off 39 balls) to strike the second T20 half-century of his career for the Titans.

A further highlight of the match was the Titans handing a CSA T20 Challenge debut to Pretoria Capitals Rookie Steve Stolk, who joined fellow Paarl Royals Rookie Lhuan-dre Pretorius at the top of the Titans top-order as the two SA U19 openers were reunited.