CAPE TOWN, Jan 4:Paarl Royals extended defending champions MI Cape Town’s poor run in the fourth edition of the SA20 with a seven-wicket win here on Sunday.
Winless four preceding matches, MI needed a win here to get a move on, but their effort hardly reflected any of such intention, getting bowled out for a lowly 88.
The Royals confirmed their third position on the table, scaling down the target in 13 overs.
They now have 12 points from four matches to be placed behind Joburg Super Kings and Sunrisers Eastern Cape.
On a Newlands pitch that offered considerable assistance to bowlers, 19-year-old placer Nqobani Mokoena (2/10) and seasoned Ottneil Baartman (2/8) wrecked the local outfit’s top-order.
Spinner Sikandar Raza (4/13), who is making his maiden appearance in the SA20, then procured a good enough bounce off the surface with his off-spin to take four wickets as the Royals ended MI’s hopes of a late fightback.
Once Mokoena, who generated disconcerting pace and bounce on the day, slammed a short-pitched ball into MI opener Ryan Rickelton’s ribs, it was evident that the bowlers will have a sunshine day here, and it happened just that way. (PTI)
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