The men from the Eastern Cape also completed their highest successful run-chase in SA20 history by cruising past Capitals’ 176/7 with all 10 wickets to spare. Pretoria Capitals won the toss and chose to bat even though, historically, the ground favours the side that is chasing.  

Connor Esterhuizen (52 off 33 balls) started well for the hosts but could never get a worthwhile partnership going with the rest of the batting order, until the West Indies’ Sherfane Rutherford (47 not out) came to the crease. The Capitals posted a respectable 176/7 in their 20 overs, but then the QdK-and-Bairstow Show started.

Openers Quinton de Kock (79 not out, 41 balls) and Jonny Bairstow (85 not out, 44 balls) were in a rampant mood as they dispatched the Capitals bowlers to all parts of Centurion. The duo blasted 13 fours and 12 sixes in their opening stand, which is also SEC’s highest of the SA20 and the competition’s second highest overall.

The night’s most memorable over came when Bairstow smashed 34 runs off Keshav Maharaj. The Proteas spinner will want to forget the five sixes and a four that wrecked his figures.

The Sunrisers’ win propelled the side back to the top of the table with 17 points, two clear of Joburg Super Kings (JSK), who have a game in hand.

Later today, JSK travel to Cape Town to take on defending champions MI Cape Town, who sit at the bottom of the points table and are still searching for their first win of the competition.

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger cvs