• All-round Jacks stars in Pretoria Capitals win

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    Will Jacks produced a superb all-round performance to drive the Pretoria Capitals to their first victory of SA20 season in Centurion on Thursday.

    Jacks delivered the third century of this year’s competition, with a sizzling 101 off 42 balls (eight fours, nine sixes) that set up the Capitals’ 204-9, to see them edge out Durban’s Super Giants by 17 runs.

    The England international’s work was not done yet, though, as he set out to open the bowling for the Capitals with his tidy off-spinners.

    It proved to be a masterstroke from returning Capitals captain Wayne Parnell to hand Jacks the new ball, as he returned figures of 2-18 from three overs to restrict DSG to 187-7.

    Jacks had good support from seam bowlers Hardus Viljoen (2-39) and Parnell (2-54).

    But the night belonged to Jacks as he initially sent West Indian Kyle Mayers back to the pavilion before claiming the massive wicket of the in-form Heinrich Klaasen.

    The DSG run chase lost all momentum after losing those early wickets.

    Matthew Breetzke (33 off 24 balls) and Quinton de Kock, who came to the crease at No 3, attempted to maintain the momentum, but the scoreboard pressure saw them both succumbing to catches by Corbin Bosch on the boundary.

    DSG newcomer Marcus Stoinis, who replaced Nicholas Pooran, showed no effects of the long travel from Australia by striking Jimmy Neesham for consecutive sixes, but he could not maintain the momentum as he was caught on the boundary the very next ball.

    DSG captain Keshav Maharaj tried valiantly with an undefeated 25, but the run-rate proved too steep in the end.

    The Capitals had earlier seemed set for a total in excess of 230 when Jacks was blasting the ball over Centurion, which he later admitted is “probably my favourite ground to bat on”, but DSG launched a spirited fightback during the death overs.

    The visitors claimed five wickets for nine towards the backend of the innings with Reece Topley (3-34) delivering a remarkable double-wicket maiden in the penultimate over that helped minimise the damage.

    Ultimately, DSG could not carry this momentum through to their run chase as they succumbed to their first defeat of the season.

    Jacks has fast become a firm fan favourite at Centurion, especially with his sixes being caught in the crowd by spectators.

    It was the second consecutive match that Jacks offered up a Catch a R2-million, which was cleanly taken one-handed by George van Heerden.

    The off-field action was not done yet with a further Catch a R2-million catch taken by Blessmore Chigova in the stands off a Matthew Breetzke maximum.

    The duo will share the share the prize money with Jochen Grobler, who claimed the first one-handed catch last week also in Centurion.

    Photo: Arjun Singh/Sportzpics

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    Simon Borchardt