Joburg Super Kings beat Durban’s Super Giants in Super Over finish

Johannesburg, Jan 2 (PTI) Donovan Ferreira (33 not out) and Richard Gleeson (3/41) starred for Joburg Super Kings as they beat Durban Super Giants in first-ever Super Over finish in a high-scoring SA20 thriller and top the points table.

Ferreira ran out Eathan Bosch (9) on the final delivery of Super Giants’ chase when the scores were tied to force the first-ever tied game in SA20 history, and Gleeson conceded only five runs in the Super Over to help Joburg Super Kings keep their opponent to 5/1.

With only six needed to win, Rilee Rossouw smacked two fours off the first three balls from Noor Ahmed to help Joburg Super Kings record their third win in as many games and top the table with 13 points.

The game was tied when Durban, needing 15 off the final over from Wiaan Mulder, finished at 205/8 in reply to Joburg’s 205/4.

Bosch hit the second ball for a six and Simon Harmer (6 not out) found a boundary on the penultimate ball to bring the equation down to one run needed off the final delivery. However, Harmer missed connecting with a short ball outside off and trying to sneak a single, Bosch was run-out with Ferreira executing a perfect direct hit.

Earlier, Evan Jones (43), Heinrich Klaasen (29) and Aiden Markram (37) did the heavy lifting as Durban Super Giants remained in hunt of chasing 206.

Jones was belligerent as he smacked four fours and three sixes to make 43 off only 17 balls, while Klaasen hammered three sixes and a four to make a 19-ball 29 and Markram found three fours and a six to make 37 off 30 balls.

Akeal Hosein was tidy in his spell of 4-0-31-2 as he ensured both the Durban openers Devon Conway (19) and Kane Williamson (22) were unable to convert their starts.

In the first half, a robust 31-ball 50 not out with four fours and two sixes from former Maharashtra player and now USA's Shubham Ranjane, along with a big finish from Ferreira (33 not out off 10 balls; 1 four, 4 sixes) had powered Joburg Super Kings to 205 for four.

The opening pair of Matthew De Villiers (38) and skipper Faf du Plessis (47 off 30 balls; 3 fours, 3 sixes) had given Joburg an ideal start with an 89-run partnership inside the first nine overs.

Noor Ahmad bowled a tight spell of 4-0-12-3. PTI DDV ATK