Both teams were awarded two points, which means the Super Kings moved to joint top of the SA20 table with Sunrisers Eastern Cape. The Royals remain in third position on 15 points.

Royals captain David Miller had earlier won the toss under clear skies and elected to bowl. His Super Kings counterpart Faf du Plessis said he too would have taken first strike, and certainly took advantage early on.

Opening partner

Du Plessis and his new opening partner James Vince put on 64 without loss at the end of the Powerplay. But the only Zimbabwean in the competition, Sikandar Raza, got rid of Du Plessis in the eighth over for 39 (off 24 balls). 

Matthew de Villiers and Vince added a further 56 from 39 deliveries for the second wicket, but Raza (2/26) intervened again, having De Villiers caught on the long-off boundary, to pick up his ninth wicket of the competition in just three matches.

Rain once again had the final say in the SA20. Photo: X (Joburg Super Kings)

The JSK innings fell away a bit from hereon, especially after Wiaan Mulder, Vince and Shubham Ranjane all fell in quick succession before a floodlight failure further halted their momentum with Donovan Ferreira also perishing immediately after the resumption. 

JSK eventually put 187/6 on the board, but the lightning forced the players of the field and the Royals did not get a chance to bat. Later today, the action moves to Durban when the Durban Super Giants host the Sunrisers Eastern Cape at Kingsmead.

It’s another double-header on Saturday when Paarl Royals host Pretoria Capitals at 13:00 at Boland Park, while Joburg Super Kings take on MI Cape Town at the Wanderers in Johannesburg at 17:30.

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger dg