That was a pivotal period in the innings for Durban, who’d made a scratchy start after being put into bat by Du Plessis.
After Matthew Breetzke and Quinton de Kock shared an opening partnership of 39 off 27 balls, the visitors lost three wickets in eight deliveries without adding to that total, leaving Klaasen and Kane Williamson to rebuild the innings.
That they managed with a fourth-wicket stand of 64 off 43 balls, with Williamson making 22 before clipping a dreadful delivery from Hardus Viljoen straight to Maheesh Theekshana stationed at short fine leg.
Although Williamson bemoaned his misfortune, by that stage Klaasen was well set. He marshalled Wiaan Mulder through the early stages of his innings and then in the last four overs both hammered the Super Kings' bowling, scoring 50 runs in the last four overs. Mulder, who is also in the Proteas’ Champions Trophy squad, was not out on 30 off 22 balls at the end of the DSG innings.
While the innings didn’t finish the way they’d have hoped, Saturday saw more impressive performances from Viljoen and especially Lutho Sipamla, neither of whom were slated to be involved at the start of the tournament. They have found excellent form heading into the playoffs, with each picking up 12 wickets.
Landmark achievement for Klaasen as Super Giants claim consolation win
Image: SportzPics/SA20
Heinrich Klaasen became the first player to score 1,000 runs in the SA20 and in the process helped the Durban Super Giants claim a consolation win over the Joburg Super Kings in the penultimate round-robin fixture in this year’s tournament.
Klaasen’s ninth half-century since the competition’s inception helped the Super Giants to reach 173/4 in front of a rowdy Saturday night crowd at the Wanderers.
Unfortunately for them, their team couldn’t match the energy in the stands as they fell 11 runs short of a revised target of 147. Some lusty hitting towards the end from Donovan Ferreira, who made 51 off 22 balls, almost saw the Super Kings claim a miraculous victory, but it was not to be.
There will be concern in their camp about the injury Ferreira picked up, as he swung furiously at a delivery. He was strapped up around his abdomen and was dismissed off the next ball.
The match had to stop for one hour and 45 minutes because of rain, which had been threatening throughout the afternoon — not that the elements stopped the partying in the stands, with dancing, kissing and yet another marriage proposal making for an enjoyable evening.
Although no-one likes to lose, the Super Kings would not have minded the outcome. Their playoff spot was secured thanks to Pretoria Capitals' defeat on Friday night. Faf du Plessis’s side will face the two-time defending champions the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in Centurion on Wednesday in the "eliminator".
Klaasen, who has been far from his best this year, delivered a reminder of his destructive ability, smashing an unbeaten 76 off 47 balls that included three fours and six sixes. Rob Walter, who was in attendance, would have been relieved to see one of the key components of the Proteas' Champions Trophy campaign play with such fluency.
There is the caveat that this was a match that had little riding on it — with the Super Kings’ play-off spot secured and the Super Giants already eliminated from the tournament.
Whatever the circumstances, it was richly entertaining, with Klaasen depositing Proteas teammate Tabraiz Shamsi for three sixes into the Centenary Stand in the 11th over.
That was a pivotal period in the innings for Durban, who’d made a scratchy start after being put into bat by Du Plessis.
After Matthew Breetzke and Quinton de Kock shared an opening partnership of 39 off 27 balls, the visitors lost three wickets in eight deliveries without adding to that total, leaving Klaasen and Kane Williamson to rebuild the innings.
That they managed with a fourth-wicket stand of 64 off 43 balls, with Williamson making 22 before clipping a dreadful delivery from Hardus Viljoen straight to Maheesh Theekshana stationed at short fine leg.
Although Williamson bemoaned his misfortune, by that stage Klaasen was well set. He marshalled Wiaan Mulder through the early stages of his innings and then in the last four overs both hammered the Super Kings' bowling, scoring 50 runs in the last four overs. Mulder, who is also in the Proteas’ Champions Trophy squad, was not out on 30 off 22 balls at the end of the DSG innings.
While the innings didn’t finish the way they’d have hoped, Saturday saw more impressive performances from Viljoen and especially Lutho Sipamla, neither of whom were slated to be involved at the start of the tournament. They have found excellent form heading into the playoffs, with each picking up 12 wickets.
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