Inspired Ferreira can’t quite pull off a JSK miracle against Durban Super Giants 0
Photo: Arjun Singh (SportzPics)
An inspirational late blast by Donovan Ferreira was not quite enough to pull off a miracle win for Joburg Super Kings as they went down by 11 runs to Durban Super Giants in a rain-affected SA20 match at the Wanderers on Saturday night.
Joburg Super Kings were chasing a revised target of 147 in 16 overs after rain interrupted their innings on 31 for one after 3.4 overs. The magical mystery spin of Noor Ahmad (4-1-25-3) thoroughly undermined their chase though, and at 87 for six after 13 overs, the visitors seemed to be heading to a comfortable victory.
But with 60 runs needed off 18 balls, Ferreira then began to pull off the miraculous. He smashed left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj for three sixes and a four in the 14th over and then hit paceman Naveen ul-Haq for 16 in the 15th over. His two sixes were both incredible strikes of well over 100m – on to the roof of the Centenary Pavilion and then over the Memorial Stand!
That left 21 needed off the last over, and Dwaine Pretorius was brought into the attack for the first time. The 35-year-old showed all his experience and, after Ferreira had swung so hard for a two that he pulled an abdominal or back muscle, Pretorius had him caught behind, using one of his favourite strategies of bowling around the wicket to the right-hander, pitching it outside off-stump and going further away.
Ferreira’s 51 off 22 balls was an incredible effort however, sprinkled with five magnificent sixes. He had earlier bowled his off-spinning darts to good effect, conceding just 16 runs in three overs. He is a key player for Joburg Super Kings and they will be hoping any injury is healed before their all-important Eliminator against Sunrisers Eastern Cape at Centurion on Wednesday.
Noor was earlier bang on target when he came on to bowl straight after the rain interruption. He hit bullseye with his first delivery, a beauty that turned sharply and bowled Faf du Plessis (14 off 9) through the gate as he looked to drive.
The Afghan then zeroed in on Wihan Lubbe’s leg-stump, bowling the left-hander around his legs two balls later. Sibonelo Makhanya (13) was his third victim, edging an attempted slog-sweep at a googly and wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock taking the sharp chance.
Joburg Super Kings certainly did not field their strongest outfit and Jonny Bairstow and Imran Tahir are sure to return for the Eliminator.
It was not a great night for their two frontline spinners, Tabraiz Shamsi (2-0-25-0) and Maheesha Theekshana (4-0-36-0), and Joburg Super Kings were once again grateful for Lutho Sipamla turning in another stellar performance.
Sipamla had Marcus Stoinis caught by Ferreira at slip for a duck and only conceded 24 runs in his four overs, which included a maiden. Sipamla has now taken 12 wickets in eight matches and is conceding just 6.88 runs-per-over; with Lungi Ngidi not setting the world alight and consistently being under an injury cloud, is it not time for the Central Gauteng Lions bowler to be elevated above him in the national pecking order?
Durban Super Giants did not have a good start after being sent in to bat, with the departure of Stoinis leaving them on 39 for three in the sixth over – that followed an opening stand of 39 between Matthew Breetzke (23) and De Kock (16).
Kane Williamson brought the calm, measured approach he is famous for as his 22 helped stabilise the innings in a fourth-wicket stand of 64 off 45 balls with Heinrich Klaasen.
The New Zealander was dismissed by Hardus Viljoen, who produced an admirable first three overs that saw him boast figures of two for 20, but those stats were ruined by Klaasen, who produced the sort of hitting and finishing ability for which he is globally revered.
Klaasen hammered 76 off 47 balls, with six sixes, a fantastic innings which lifted Durban Super Giants to a very competitive score of 173 for four. With Wiaan Mulder contributing 30 not out off 22 balls, things ended poorly for Joburg Super Kings, Viljoen conceding 23 runs in the penultimate over.
Durban Super Giants will be pleased to end a bad campaign with just their second win; Joburg Super Kings, meanwhile, have a poor record when it comes to consistency: they won their first two games but have not won back-to-back since then.
If they are to reach the final, they will need to do just that next week.