
MI Cape Town clinched a commanding 27-run victory over Pretoria Capitals in a high-scoring encounter at Centurion during the ongoing SA20 season. The match, which witnessed a staggering 417 runs in total, saw explosive batting performances from Reeza Hendricks and Dewald Brevis that propelled MI Cape Town to an imposing total of 222/3.
The game kicked off with MI Cape Town’s in-form openers Rassie van der Dussen and Ryan Rickelton setting the tone early. Van der Dussen smashed 30 off 20 balls, including a four and three sixes, while Rickelton contributed 22 off 13 balls, hitting four boundaries and a six. Their quick-fire 45-run opening stand in just 4.4 overs set the stage for what would become a night of relentless hitting.
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The real fireworks came from Hendricks and Brevis, who dismantled the Capitals’ bowling attack with a spectacular unbroken 142-run partnership for the fourth wicket off just 68 balls. Hendricks played with elegance and precision, scoring 77* off 44 balls with four boundaries and five sixes. Brevis, known for his powerful stroke play, blazed his way to 73* off just 32 deliveries, hammering six fours and six sixes. Their innings ensured MI Cape Town posted a daunting target for the Capitals.
Despite lightning and thundershowers briefly interrupting MI Cape Town’s innings, the capacity crowd at Centurion was treated to a batting masterclass. The Capitals, needing 223 to stay in contention for the playoffs, showed resilience in their chase. Will Jacks and Will Smeed provided early momentum with a 72-run stand for the second wicket. Jacks scored 39 off 22 balls, hitting five fours and a six, while Smeed made a solid 52 off 36 deliveries, smashing nine boundaries.
Further contributions came from Ashton Turner, who scored a quickfire 22 off just eight balls with a four and two sixes, and Keagan Lion-Cachet, who remained unbeaten on 34 off 18 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes. However, their efforts fell short as MI Cape Town’s disciplined bowling attack, led by Rashid Khan (2/25) and Corbin Bosch (2/40), restricted them to 195/8.
With this defeat, Pretoria Capitals are officially out of playoff contention, finishing in second-last position with just two wins, five losses, and two no-results, accumulating 14 points. Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Joburg Super Kings have now advanced to the Eliminator, scheduled to take place at Centurion on February 5.
Reflecting on the match, Brevis expressed his delight over MI Cape Town’s recent form, stating, “Absolutely (happy) for us to have a few wins on the bounce and play beautiful cricket. I am so excited for the boys! We played so great as a team and it is even better off the field.” He further shared his personal approach, saying, “I have been working really hard in my off time. It is the quiet time where you graft on your game and speak to the people who really care and most importantly enjoy the game and play with a smile and do whatever you can for the team.”
On the other hand, Pretoria Capitals’ captain Kyle Verreynne admitted that key wickets at crucial moments cost them the match. “Batted nicely in parts but just didn’t find the rhythm. Key wickets at key times left us short. I think it was a good wicket and I think we had a chance – just did not pull it off,” he remarked. He also highlighted the challenges his team faced throughout the tournament, particularly the tight scheduling in the early stages. “Our first five games came in 8-9 days or something like that. If you do not get off to a good start, it is tough to bring that back. In saying that, I think we played nice cricket and lost games along the way which is disappointing. Been tough to get that rhythm and momentum. That is why we are where we are,” he added.
The two teams will face each other once more on Sunday at Newlands before MI Cape Town heads to St George’s Park for their Qualifier 1 clash against Paarl Royals on February 4.