Orange Army energy: Sunrisers trio Breetzke, Jansen and Marsh light up Kingsmead

Long before Matthew Breetzke and Marco Jansen shared a match-turning stand at Kingsmead in the first ODI between the Proteas and Australia, the pair were well acquainted, having learnt to feed off one another in Sunrisers Eastern Cape orange on Betway SA20 nights in Gqeberha.

The duo were, of course, stalwarts in Sunrisers’ march to a third Betway SA20 title in four seasons earlier this year.

This symmetry shone through at a crucial moment, with the pair transferring their franchise energy to the international stage with a 107-run partnership off just 81 balls for the sixth wicket, transforming a below-par total into an ultimately match-winning 297/8.

Breetzke earned the Player of the Match plaudits for his superb 112 off 106 balls, an innings in which he once again showed the character to withstand immense pressure - just like he did in Sunrisers’ successful run chase in the Season 4 Betway SA20 final at Newlands.

"Obviously a proud moment for me and my family, but I think it was just more how difficult it was in the beginning and how I had to fight myself through it mentally," Breetzke said.

"There were a few stages where I wanted to take a risk or whatever, and then we kept losing wickets. So yeah, when I got to that century mark, it was a bit of a relief, and yeah, I'm just very grateful."

But where he had Tristan Stubbs for company on that balmy Sunday afternoon under Table Mountain, it was now Marco Jansen’s lanky figure that was at the other end, helping to ease the pressure on the stylish right-hander.

Breetzke was unequivocal about how much of the momentum shift belonged to his SA20 teammate rather than to his own effort alone.

"It was a special innings from Marco. He helped my innings a lot there," Breetzke said of Jansen's 75 off just 59 balls (seven fours and four sixes).

What made the innings work, by Breetzke's own account, wasn't a pre-planned assault.

"I think if you look at him, when he's at his best, he looks to attack. It was never the plan for him to go guns blazing. He got one away and then he just led with the momentum," he said.

"We feed off each other's energy and I was happy to feed him strike. So that was really awesome from him."

Jansen's contribution didn't end with the bat. His diving, one-handed catch to remove Matt Renshaw on the same short eastern boundary he'd targeted with the bat became the moment that broke Australia's chase, part of a four-catch outing in the field.

Breetzke, watching from close range, didn't hold back his admiration. "That catch, really special. He does do special things, and that was a special catch," he said.

The Orange Army would have all seen this before, but there was also something to look forward to after Sunrisers Eastern Cape's prize new recruit Mitchell Marsh provided a taste of what's to come in Season 5.

ALSO READ: Get to know Mitchell Marsh

The Australian captain blitzed 60 off 36 balls, which briefly made Australia's chase look ominously comfortable.

There’s no doubt Sunrisers Eastern Cape coach Adrian Birrell was looking on from afar with a satisfied smile on his face, knowing that the building blocks for another successful Betway SA20 season are being laid.