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Marco Jansen's blistering fifty steers Sunrisers to a thrilling win over MI Cape Town 

image-ld1ttjsxGrant Roelofsen top-scored for MI Cape Town with 57.  (PC- Associated Press)

Sunrisers Eastern Cape's all-rounder Marco Jansen played a sensational knock against the best bowling line-up to beat MI Cape Town by 2 wickets for the second time in the SA20 league 2023 at Newlands on Wednesday.

Roelofsen, Rickelton power MI Cape Town



Batting first, MI Cape Town got off to an awful start as Sisanda Magala dismissed Dewald Brevis (6) for a single-digit score. Magala could've had his second wicket in the over but Smuts denied him the wicket of Grant Roelofsen. Roelofsen (56) joined hands with opener Ryan Rickelton (46) to rebuild the innings. Both Proteas batters played stylish cricketing shots to lay the platform for a huge total. They shared a stand of 102 off only 69 deliveries to set a launchpad for the middle-order batters. Roelofsen, who was given a reprieve early in his innings, was more brutal in his innings and hardly missed out on any opportunities to score. But once both batters were gone, the middle order comprising big names like Rassie Van der Dussen, Sam Curran, and George Linde, really struggled to get going as MI Cape Town lost five wickets in the span of just three overs.

Despite this remarkable collapse, MI Cape Town finished off the innings with a big flourish at the end with 171/6 in 20 overs courtesy of a brilliant 48-run partnership between Odean Smith (25*) and Delano Potgieter (21*).

Jansen's blitz sets a two-wicket win for the Sunrisers

image-ld1u1rovSunrisers Eastern Cape batters in action. (PC- Associated Press)

Chasing a competitive total of 172 runs to win, Sunrisers Eastern Cape lost wickets at regular intervals against MI Cape Town's strong bowling attack. The Sunrisers were off to an excellent start as their openers smashed Sam Curran for 14 runs in the first over. Making his comeback Jofra Archer made an instant impact as he ran out JJ Smuts in a brilliant display of fielding and gave MI Cape Town just the start that they wanted. Kagiso Rabada got into the act and accounted for Sarel Erwee's wicket in his first over of the match for 19 (14). Sunrisers were reduced to 45/3 in the first six overs. Last match's player of the match, skipper Aiden Markram could only contribute 12 before he was deceived and bowled by opposition skipper Rashid Khan. Tristan Stubbs and Jordan Cox forged a crucial 34-run partnership to get the innings back on track. Stubbs smashed Rashid for three sixes in an over. However, Stubbs' innings ended soon after as he was caught in the deep off the bowling of Sam Curran. He scored 28 off 21 balls. Cox followed him to the dressing room after being run out for 13. 

When the odds were against Markram's team, in-walk Marco Jansen, who smashed 66 off 27 balls with the help of three fours and seven sixes to take the game away from the hosts. Jansen was eventually bowled out by Rabada in the penultimate over but the damage was done, and the Sunrisers got over the line with three balls to spare. The pick of the bowlers for MI Cape Town though was Jofra Archer who ended with remarkable figures of 1/18 in 4 overs.



Brief Scores:

MI Cape Town: 171/6

Grant Roelofsen 57(36), Ryan Rickelton 46(36)
Ottniel Baartman 2/21, Roelof van der Merwe 2/21.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape: 172/8

Marco Jansen 66(27), Tristan Stubbs 28(21)
Kagiso Rabada 3/34, Jofra Archer 1/18

Sunrisers Eastern Cape won the match by 2 wickets