Entertainment galore in Centurion as Pretoria Capitals claim SA20 win over Sunrisers Eastern Cape

There was rich entertainment both on the field and on the grass banks at SuperSport Park on Saturday, where the Pretoria Capitals claimed a 37-run victory against the Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

It’s been less than a week since the first match in the Betway SA20 and already it appears to have captured the South African sporting public’s attention.

Over 10,000 fans strode through the gates on a blistering afternoon and between three new claimants for the sponsor’s “catch a million” competition — and a few others who injured themselves trying to stake a claim — nearly 400 runs were scored in 40 overs and more than enough fun was had.

As was the case when the two sides met in Gqeberha on Thursday it was an Englishman who dominated with the bat.

At St George’s Park it was Phil Salt, Saturday was the turn of Will Jacks to power the Capitals to a substantial total.

Jacks made his Test debut for England in Pakistan last month the latest inductee into the college of ‘Bazball’ and there was plenty of that effervescent approach on display.

Jacks timed the ball with honey-like sweetness pinging seven fours and eight sixes to all parts much to the joy of the local viewers.

Jacks, who finished with 92 off 46 balls, shared a 111-run partnership with Theunis de Bruyn, the only local player in the Capitals line-up, not that it mattered to the crowd who seemed satisfied enough that the franchise’s Indian ownership had put together a team that appears to be in keeping with the winning culture created by the domestic Titans team.

The Capitals might have been disappointed that they scored just 216/6 when 250 looked a distinct possibility but when you’re blessed with an attack such as theirs, those are minor details.

Only when Aiden Markram was at the crease did the Sunrisers look like they’d make a fist of the chase. SuperSport Park is Markram’s home ground and for 45 minutes he kept the patrons enthralled with some delicious stroke play that included a six flicked off his legs into the nets off Anrich Nortjé, followed by drive through the covers on the up for four.

But when he fell to a juggling catch by Migael Pretorius for a 29-ball 46, the game was effectively up for the Eastern Cape.

That wasn’t the end of the entertainment however, with the ‘missed-a-million’ chances in the crowd providing as much entertainment as anything else and adding to a competition, that in less than a week has seemingly captured the public’s imagination. 

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