The Paarl Rocks beat the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants by 12 runs in Sunday’s Mzansi Super League fixture at Boland Park.

The result pushed the Rocks to first position in the 2019 tournament’s six-team standings. The outcome also ensured the Paarl franchise will host the final on 16 December – against the Giants or Tshwane Spartans.

The Jozi Stars have been ruled out of contention on the back of seven successive defeats and two washouts. The Cape Town Blitz, too, are out of the running.

Also see: Heat and Stars share washout

Pursuing a target of 169, the Giants reached an insufficient final total of 156/6.

Opener Ben Dunk was solid en route to 27, while half-centurion Heino Kuhn and the big-hitting Marco Marais refused to go down without a fight throughout, but lacked enough support.

Rocks wrist-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, meanwhile, capitalised with the key wickets of Dunk and Dutch international Ryan ten Doeschate.

Earlier, wicketkeeper-batsman Kyle Verreynne spearheaded the Rocks to 168/5. Verreynne was well supported by Sri Lanka all-rounder Isuru Udana – and was particularly fruitful during seamer Chris Morris’ closing over.

The right-handed Verreynne deployed premeditated paddle strokes to collect three boundaries off Morris’ challenging lines and lengths.

Sunday’s second MSL fixture between the Spartans and Blitz at SuperSport Park in Centurion was washed out without a delivery bowled.

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