CAPE TOWN, South Africa, CMC – The SA20’s fourth season exploded into life with a boundary-laden thriller at a heaving Newlands on Friday, where Durban’s Super Giants (DSG) stunned defending champions MI Cape Town (MICT) by 15 runs in a tournament record shootout.
In a match that produced 449 runs, the second-highest aggregate in SA20 history, DSG’s mammoth 232 for 7 proved just enough to overcome a spectacular century from MICT’s Ryan Rickelton.
The Super Giants, who finished at the bottom of the table last season, seized the initiative after being put in to bat.
A polished 96-run opening stand between Devon Conway 64 and Kane Williamson 40) laid a formidable platform.
MICT’s bowlers fought back briefly, but explosive cameos from Heinrich Klaasen 22, Aiden Markram 35, Evan Jones 33 not out, and a blistering 10-ball 29 from David Wiese propelled DSG past 230. George Linde with 2-46 was the pick of the MICT attack.
Faced with the highest chase required in the competition’s history, MICT’s reply was spearheaded by a breathtaking innings from Ryan Rickelton.
The opener smashed a career-best 113 from just 63 deliveries, hammering a record 11 sixes, the most by a batter in a single SA20 innings. He found solid support from Jason Smith, who weighed in with 41, and Reeza Hendricks, 28.
West Indian Nicholas Pooran could only manage to score 15 before he went to David Weise.
Needing 31 from the final two overs with six wickets in hand, victory seemed within MICT’s grasp. However, DSG’s young seamers displayed remarkable composure under fire.
Kwena Maphaka and Eathan Bosch, who finished with 4-46, executed their plans to perfection, triggering a dramatic collapse of 3 wickets for 15 runs in the last 12 deliveries.
MICT’s charge fell short at 217 for 7, handing DSG a statement victory to start their campaign.
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