Rossington, Van der Merwe help Sunrisers lift inaugural SA20 title

A 30-ball 57 from Adam Rossington, which included 4 fours and 5 sixes, followed a trained execution with the ball - drove by Roelof van der Merwe's 4 for 31 - as Sunrisers Eastern Cape turned into the bosses of the debut SA20 with a four-wicket win against Pretoria Capitals at the Vagabonds in Johannesburg on Sunday (February 12). Having limited the Capitals to 135 in the rescheduled last, Sunrisers took 16.2 overs to arrive at the objective.

Rossington set the vibe for the pursuit with two fours off Wayne Parnell in the opening over, while Jordan Hermann struck three progressive limits off Eathan Bosch not long after Temba Bavuma's excusal. While Hermann kept on gathering fours, Rossington cleared the ropes two times in a Bosch over and afterward took the assault to Migael Pretorius in the last over of the powerplay as he struck two sixes and three fours to raise a 20-ball fifty, driving Surisers to 76/1 after six overs.

The 67-run second wicket stand, which fell off 32 conveyances, reached a conclusion in the seventh over when Hermann was baffled off Adil Rashid for 22. Aiden Markram then, at that point, hit a four and a six off Anrich Nortje, and a limit off Colin Ingram as Sunrisers dashed to 103/2 after 10 overs. Nortje at last finished Rossington's visit as the hitter got a top-edge endeavoring a force. In any case, there wasn't any scoreboard strain on the Sunrisers, with the necessary rate somewhat north of 3. The Capitals actually battled on, with Ingram excusing Markram, Neesham sacking the wicket of Jordan Cox and Nortje sending Tristan Stubbs back. Yet, Marco Jansen polished it off with a four and a six off Neesham in the seventeenth over, prompting festivity in the Sunrisers camp.

Prior, requested to bat first, the Capitals got off to a positive beginning, with Phil Salt and Kusal Mendis striking a four each off Sisanda Magala who surrendered 16 in the opening over. Mendis likewise struck a six off Marco Jansen prior to getting out to Ottniel Baartman. Van der Merwe had Salt bowled off his most memorable ball but on the other hand was hit for four limits in his opening over - a full go-around of fours by Rilee Rossouw followed by a limit by Theunis de Bruyn. The Capitals oversaw 56/2 in the powerplay yet slipped to 68/4 as Magala and van der Merwe struck in progressive overs.

A couple of calm overs followed as the Capitals took 14 overs to arrive at the 100-run mark. Ingram and James Neesham, who got into solidification mode, added 35 off 42 however the organization was finished by captain Markram who got done with great figures of 1 for 17. Neesham fell in the seventeenth over for a 21-ball 19, and regardless of Parnell scoring a six in similar over the Capitals could reach 121. Van der Merwe added to his wickets count by sending Bosch and Pretorius off progressive conveyances. Parnell and Rashid were the last two to leave as the Sunrisers made a fine showing in the passing overs to limit the Capitals.

Brief scores: Pretoria Capitals 135 in 19.3 overs (Kusal Mendis 21; Roelof van der Merwe 4-31, Ottniel Baartman 2-22) lost to Sunrisers Eastern Cape 137/6 in 16.2 overs (Adam Rossington 57, Aiden Markram 26; Anrich Nortje 2-21) by 4 wickets.