Du Plooy, Subrayen power Joburg Super Kings into SA20 playoffs with 44-run win over Paarl Royals

Paarl (South Africa), Jan 20 (PTI) Leus du Plooy’s rapid fifty and a three-wicket haul for Prenelan Subrayen powered Joburg Super Kings into the playoffs of the SA20 with a comprehensive 44-run victory over Paarl Royals here.

Du Plooy provided much-needed impetus with a 27-ball 54 including five hits to the fence and three over it which took the Super Kings to a competitive 166 for five.

In reply, the Royals crumbled under pressure and despite a 25-ball 32 (4 fours) from Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dan Lawrence’s 45 (29 balls; 1 four, 3 sixes), they were shot out for a mere 122 in 18.1 overs.

In an all-round bowling show for the Super Kings, South African spinner Subrayen returned with a match-winning spell of 3.1-0-14-3 while Nandre Burger (2/29) and Imran Tahir (2/17) also chipped in with tidy performances.

Akeal Hosein and Wiaan Mulder claimed one wicket each.

The Super Kings struggled for momentum for a large part of their innings as opener Neil Timmers (39 off 37 balls; 4 fours), Michael Pepper (27 off 23 balls; 3 fours, 1 six) and Matthew de Villiers (27 off 23 balls; 1 four) could not impose themselves.

It was a late assault from Du Plooy who had earlier replaced the injured regular captain Faf du Plessis, hitting a vital half-century towards the end where the Super Kings also added 32 runs off the last two overs.

The Royals stumbled through their run-chase and the absence of regular skipper David Miller due to an injury also did not help their cause.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape topped the points table after the group stage with 28 points and will take on the second-ranked Pretoria Capitals (24 points) in the first qualifier on Wednesday.

The Royals, who finished third with 24 points, will meet the Super Kings again in the all-important Eliminator at Centurion on Thursday. PTI DDV UNG