• Giants take down Kings in ‘Super’ SA20 battle

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    Durban’s Super Giants maintained their unbeaten start to the SA20 season with a 37-run victory over the Joburg Super Kings at Kingsmead on Monday.

    It was a low-scoring affair, with Heinrich Klaasen’s 64 off 41 balls (seven fours, two sixes) proving to be the difference on the night for the Super Giants, who also claimed a bonus point for the efforts after posting 145-8.

    Klaasen held the DSG innings together almost single-handedly with the JSK bowling unit showing great character to bounce back from the mauling they received just a couple of days ago at the Wanderers.

    They were backed up by a fielding unit that were equally desperate to put in an improved showing.

    Lizaad Williams led the way with 4-26, while Nandre Burger also responded from his previous 2-53 against MI Cape Town with a four-over spell of 1-22.

    Spin duo Moeen Ali (1-14) and Imran Tahir (1-9) returned combined figures of 2-23 from their four overs.

    Burger can certainly be grateful for a brilliant piece of Caribbean athleticism from Romario Shepherd, who flung himself into the air before throwing out a full stretched right arm to pouch a magnificent one-handed take, to see the back of Matthew Breetzke.

    The Super Giants showed they were quick learners, though, as they assessed the conditions during the break and immediately introduced Jon-Jon Smuts’ left-arm spin into the attack.

    It kept the Super Kings quiet during the powerplay before DSG captain Keshav Maharaj brought himself on in the last over of the powerplay.

    It reaped immediate rewards with Maharaj delivering the perfect delivery that drifted in through the air before turning sharply off the pitch to hit the top of Super Kings captain Faf du Plessis’ off stump.

    Maharaj (2-17) was certainly enjoying bowling in his home conditions and claimed a second scalp when he clean bowled Ronan Herrmann the following over after the rookie attempted an ill-fated reverse sweep.

    The Super Kings, who remain winless after three matches, never recovered from the early setbacks with only Reeza Hendricks (38) and Moeen Ali (36) offering resistance.

    DSG seamers Richard Gleeson (2-22) and Reece Topley (3-19) completed the job at the backend to dismiss the visitors for just 108.

    HIGHLIGHTS: Durban’s Super Giants vs Joburg Super Kings (SA20)

    Durban’s Super Giants have therefore given Nicholas Pooran the perfect send-off with the West Indies T20 superstar closing his short but explosive three-match SA20 stint.

    The Super Kings only have two days to recover before they face the Paarl Royals – the only other unbeaten side this season – at Boland Park on Wednesday.

    Photo: Shaun Roy/Sportzpics

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    Simon Borchardt