Sunrisers Eastern Cape win the 2024 edition of the SA20 with a 89-run win over Durban's Super Giants in the final
The Aiden Markram-led Sunrisers Eastern Cape defended their SA20 title in some style. They defeated the Durban's Supergiants in a one-sided encounter at The Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday, February 10. The franchise have now won both of the editions of the SA20, having defeated the Pretoria Capitals in the inaugural final in 2023.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, the Sunrisers Eastern Cape lost opening batter Dawid Malan in the second over itself. They, however, recovered through a second-wicket partnership between Jordan Hermann and Tom Abell. The batting pair laid on a strong foundation, which the middle order duo of skipper Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs took advantage of.
Stubbs recorded a quickfire fifty while Markram also chipped in with a crucial cameo, enabling the side to cross the 200-run mark in the final.
As far as the run chase is concerned, the Supergiants' ambition were thwarted inside the first set of overs itself. The Keshav Maharaj-led side were reduced to 7-3 in the fourth over, with the new ball pacers running the show.
Ottneil Baartman dismissed the in-form Heinrich Klaasen for a golden duck. Meanwhile, Wiaan Mulder top scored with 38, which undoubtedly ended in vain.
All-rounder Marco Jansen ended up with a memorable five-wicket haul. The chasing side were bundled out for just 115 runs in 17 overs, to seal the deal for the Sunrisers.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape only lost two matches in the entire season
The Aiden Markram-led side dominated the tournament despite a tepid start, which saw them secure only one point from their first two matches. However, they embarked on a formidable run since then, losing only one more match en route finishing at the top of the league stage.
They secured a place in the finals of the tournament with a win in the first Qualifier and kept their winning streak intact with a near-flawless display in the finals.
With his fifer in the finale, Marco Jansen pips his teammate, Ottneil Baartman, to end up as the leading wicket-taker of the second season of the SA20. The left-arm pacer claimed 20 wickets over the course of the season at an average of 14.30.
"Unbelievable from the guys, the way we batted and the way we bowled, very proud of the guys. The batters were superb today. We thought 180-185 was above par. It was all about executing our plans and obviously very stoked that we could execute all our plans," Marco Jansen said shortly after the SA20 title win in Cape Town
On the other hand, MI Cape Town's Ryan Rickleton finishes the tournament as the leading run scorer, after having amassed 530 runs at an average of 58.88.
Will the Sunrisers Eastern Cape potentially complete an elusive three-peat in the SA20 2025? Let us know what you think.