Aiden Markram’s Sunrisers Eastern Cape blew away Keshav Maharaj’s Durban Super Giants to successfully defend their SA20 title on Saturday, 10 February. Playing in Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town, the Sunrisers dominated from start to finish to clinch their second title.

Durban never really got into the game in either innings of the match. Sent to bowl first in the final, Durban gave away 204 runs and in return were only able to score 115 in 17 overs. 23-year-old prodigy Marco Jansen was the star of the show for the Sunrisers, picking up 5 wickets for just 30 runs from his four overs. Barring Jansen, Daniel Worall, Simon Harmer and Ottniel Baartman were amongst the wickets and finished a clinical job for their side.

This was also Sunrisers 6th win in a row in the tournament as they finished strong despite the slow start of the season.

Chasing 204 in the final, Durban never really got the ball rolling. Four wickets in the first 10 overs put them under pressure, but the wickets of in-form Matthew Breetzke and Heinrich Klaasen in the 11th over really killed the game.

The duo fell to Ottniel Baartman – one of the standout pacers in the second edition of the tournament. First, it was Breetzke in the first ball of the over – when he tried to scoop the pacer against a ball pitched on the off stump. Breetzke missed the ball which ended up hitting the top of off. Klaasen, who put Durban in the final of the competition got out to a golden duck against a ball that was angled into him on full length.

With 6 wickets gone by the 11th over, it was only a matter of time that Durban lost the game, but Sunrisers did not ease up on the pressure and finished things off inside 17 overs.

In the first innings of the final, Sunrisers Eastern Cape dominated at both ends. The team got off to a flying start, courtesy of Tom Abell (55 off 34) and Jordan Hermann (42 off 26). The duo added 90 runs off just 50 balls for the third wicket and put Eastern Cape in a strong position.

Keshav Maharaj controlled the damage in the 11th over of the first innings. Sunrisers were dealt a double wicket blow of two set batters. Captain Aiden Markram and young Tristan Stubbs struggled at the start but they cut loose in the final 5 overs of the match. The duo added 98 runs off just 55 balls, the majority of which came in the final 4 overs of the match.

Markram remained unbeaten at 42* off 26 and majorly played second fiddle to a superlative performance from Stubbs who scored 56* off 30 balls. The duo hit 5 sixes and 7 boundaries between them.

They were able to take Sunrisers to a commanding total of 204/3 in 20 overs, which was always going to be a tricky chase for Durban Super Giants against a strong bowling attack.

Credit needs to be given to Sunrisers captain Aiden Markram, who opted to bat first in the final and helped the team put up a good total, and then went all-out-attack in the first 10 overs, which essentially sealed the game for the Eastern Cape side.