Gqeberha (South Africa), Jan 10 (NationPress) MI Cape Town commenced their SA20 Season 3 in spectacular fashion, achieving a dominant 97-run victory over the defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape during the tournament's opening match at a sold-out St George’s Park.
The Orange Army turned out in large numbers to support their back-to-back champions, but left disappointed as MICT put forth an exceptional performance.
This victory marked the first time that MICT had triumphed over the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in five attempts since SA20 began.
Under the leadership of Robin Peterson, MICT excelled in every aspect of the game with Dewald Brevis scoring 57 off just 29 deliveries, propelling the visitors to a total of 174/7. Subsequently, Delano Potgieter and Trent Boult teamed up to restrict the Sunrisers to a mere 77 runs.
Potgieter achieved remarkable career-best figures of 5-10, while the New Zealand star Boult (2/16) set the foundation with a brilliant opening spell that included a double-wicket maiden in the third over.
The seasoned 35-year-old demonstrated his elite ability to swing the new ball back into right-handed batters, which led to the dismissal of Sunrisers’ England Test opener Zak Crawley.
It was appropriate that Brevis was instrumental in this victory, showcasing the promise he first exhibited during the competition opener at Newlands two seasons ago.
The 21-year-old displayed excellent form, striking the ball cleanly from the outset. Initially, he faced the dual spin of Simon Harmer and Liam Dawson before hitting successive straight sixes off seamer Beyers Swanepoel.
Even though MICT lost Brevis in the final five overs, the momentum was preserved by Potgieter (25 not out, 12 balls) and George Linde (23 not out, 17 balls) as they forged an unbroken 41-run partnership.
The duo scored 24 runs off Sunrisers’ Marco Jansen’s last over, swinging the momentum firmly in MICT’s favor, which they maintained throughout the evening.
MICT aims to carry this winning streak forward when they face the Joburg Super Kings at the Wanderers on Saturday, while the Sunrisers will seek to recover against the Paarl Royals at Boland Park.
