The bonus-point victory propelled PC to 20 points and top of the SA20 table, with Sunrisers Eastern Cape (19) dropping down to second.  MI Cape Town won the toss and chose to bowl first. 

The Capitals started slowly and were 41/2 at the end of the powerplay. However, a 69-run fifth-wicket stand between Dewald Brevis (34 off 19) and the big-hitting West Indian Sherfane Rutherford (53 off 27) got things going for the hosts. 

MI Cape Town also did themselves no favours when both Rutherford and Brevis were dropped off consecutive Corbin Bosch deliveries. Eventually, PC scored 84 runs in the last five overs to end their innings on 185/6.

Big-hitting West Indian Sherfane Rutherford (53 off 27) was one of the stars of the hosts.

MI Cape Town’s innings never really got off the ground.  The only contribution of note came from Reeza Hendricks, whose 68 not out was the highest score of the evening. Rassie van der Dussen (15 off 13), Nicholas Pooran (17 off 6), and Jason Smith (13 off 17) were the only other Capetonians to go into double figures.

PC’s Gideon Peters ran through MI Cape Town’s middle-order with a double-wicket maiden over that restricted the defending champions to 132/7.

After the match, Capitals bowler Gideon Peters – who took three wickets for 14 runs – said things are finally clicking for the team in light blue.

“We’ve really stayed tight as a group. Even though we’ve had bad losses, we never felt like the group was splitting. And that’s kind of why I think we’ve done well in the last three games.”

MI Cape Town’s playoff aspirations are now hanging on by the barest of margins with only two matches remaining against Sunrisers Eastern Cape. 

The Capitals, on the other hand, head into their two remaining matches against Paarl Royals at home and Joburg Super Kings away at the Wanderers with confidence.

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger cvs