5 best knocks in SA20 2024 ft. Will Jacks
The second edition of the SA20 league concluded on Saturday, February 10, as Sunrisers Eastern Cape defended their title and lifted the cup again. The Aiden Markram-led side are now the undisputed champions of the league, having won the title in both the editions played thus far.
Two of the finest performing teams in this edition of the tournament - Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Durban Super Giants - squared off in what turned out to be a one-sided summit clash.
Batting first, the Men in Orange and Black put up a massive 205-run target, courtesy of cumulative efforts from the top and middle-order batters.
The Super Giants had a terrible outing throughout the game. After the bowlers’ lacklustre performance, the batters, too, couldn’t create an impact and were bowled out for a mere 115 runs in 17 overs. Marco Jansen was the pick of the bowlers for the champions and finished with a five-wicket haul.
The recently concluded edition of the SA20 saw the batters put up terrific performances and dominate the league. On that note, let us have a look at the top five knocks of the tournament.
#5 Donovan Ferreira (Joburg Super Kings) – 56*(20) vs Pretoria Capitals
In the 13th match of the SA20 2024 between Joburg Super Kings and Pretoria Capitals, Donovan Ferreira notched up the-then fastest half-century of the tournament, achieving the feat in just 18 balls.
Courtesy of his knock, the Faf du Plessis-led side registered their first victory of the tournament and chased down the 168-run target with two overs to spare. Wicketkeeper-batter Ferreira remained unbeaten and finished with 56 runs off 20 deliveries.
His knock included seven fours and three sixes as he batted at a strike rate of 280. Joburg Super Kings, who had lost five matches in a row, clinched their first win and grabbed some much-needed points to improve their position in the points table.
#4 Heinrich Klaasen (Durban Super Giants) – 50(17) vs Paarl Royals
Durban Super Giants (DSG) batter Heinrich Klaasen broke Donovan Ferreira’s record by notching up the fastest half-century in the tournament’s history, soon after the latter achieved the feat. Klaasen reached the landmark in the 22nd match of the tournament against Paarl Royals.
DSG’s start to the game was terrible as top-order batters Tony de Zorzi and Quinton de Kock were dismissed, scoring six runs each. Matthew Breetzke brought his team back on track with a 43-ball 78.
Later in the game, Klaasen took charge and notched up 50 runs off just 16 deliveries as the Super Giants’ total crossed the 200-run mark.
The bowlers kept the momentum going in the second innings as Noor Ahmad’s five-wicket haul helped the Keshav Maharaj-led side bowl out the Royals for a meager 83 runs and register a massive 125-run victory.
Notably, Klaasen also finished as the second-leading run-scorer of the tournament, with 447 runs to his name from 13 matches.
#3 Ryan Rickelton (MI Cape Town) – 94*(52) vs Paarl Royals
MI Cape Town batter Ryan Rickelton had a terrific season this year as he finished as the highest run-scorer of the tournament with 530 runs to his name from 10 matches at an average of 58.88 and a strike rate of 173.77.
In the 10 matches that he played for the MI Cape Town, he notched up five half-centuries, with his highest score being 98(46). But Rickelton’s finest performance this season came in the 11th match of the tournament.
Chasing the 173-run target set by the Paarl Royals, the opening batter notched up a brilliant 94* off 52 deliveries. His knock was studded with seven fours and six maximums as he helped his side cross the finish line in just the 17th over.
Rickelton was also adjudged the Player of the Match for his heroics with the bat.
#2 Kyle Verreynne (Pretoria Capitals) – 116*(52) vs MI Cape Town
Pretoria Capitals batter Kyle Verreynne registered the highest individual score of the tournament this season when he scored 116 runs off just 52 deliveries while chasing the humongous target of 249 runs against MI Cape Town.
The Kieron Pollard-led side put up a solid performance in the first innings and finished with 248 runs on the board for the loss of four wickets. During the chase, Verreynne stood out with the bat as he single-handedly managed to keep his side alive in the game.
He reached the three-figure mark in 48 deliveries, but his knock went in vain as MI Cape Town registered a 34-run victory. Coming in to bat at No. 3, Verreynne was the only batter who remained not out, as the opposition bowlers ran through Pretoria Capitals’ batting lineup.
Verreynne received the Player of the Match award for his magnificent innings, even though in a losing cause.
#1 Will Jacks (Pretoria Capitals) – 101(42) vs Durban Super Giants
Pretoria Capitals’ opening batter Will Jacks took the Durban Super Giants’ bowlers for a ride as he notched up the fastest century in the history of the SA20 tournament. In the 10th match of the league, Jacks finished with his first, and only century of the tournament at Centurion.
Pretoria Capitals skipper Wayne Parnell won the toss and elected to bat in the contest. After a decent start, the batters struggled to get going after the powerplay. But Jacks held one end of the innings and kept scoring runs for fun.
Courtesy of his 42-ball 101, Pretoria finished with 204 runs on the scoreboard for the loss of nine wickets. In the second innings, combined efforts from the bowlers saw Pretoria Capitals defending their total to win the game by 17 runs.
After scoring a historic century in the first innings, Will Jacks contributed well with the ball in the second essay and finished with 2/18 in three overs. He dismissed Kyle Mayers in the eighth over and sent Heinrich Klaasen, the deadly in-form batter, packing for 1(3).