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Paarl Royals made SA20 history when they claimed their first Cape Derby victory over MI Cape Town at boiling Boland Park on Sunday.
The Royals had previously been defeated on three occasions by the neighbours from Cape Town, with the latest reversal having been at Newlands on Friday evening. The winelands franchise was desperate to regain some lost ground in the bragging rights and delivered a clinical bonus point 59-run victory to entrench their position at the top of the SA20 log with 18 points. MI Cape Town's third defeat in the competition left them in fourth place with nine points. Local hero Bjorn Fortuin was the star of the show for the Royals with the left-arm spinner delivering an inspired performance with the new ball. Fortuin claimed two wickets in the first over of the Royals' chase, removing both Rassie van der Dussen and Dewald Brevis with successive deliveries. MI Cape Town was certainly in dire straits when they also lost the competition's leading run-scorer Ryan Rickleton (5) shortly afterwards for just five to reduce the visitors to 13/3. It was the first time that Rickelton had been dismissed for under fifty in season two. Fortuin returned for a second spell later and was rewarded with further success when George Linde was also dismissed for a duck. Fortuin finished with the impeccable figures of 3/15 as the visitors folded for 103 all out. Connor Esterhuizen (32 in 36 balls with three fours) and Liam Livingstone (22 in 16 balls, with two fours and a six) were the only ones who could score something decent. It was a complete bowling performance from the Royals with fellow left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi (2/11) and seamers Obed McCoy (2/18) and Lungi Ngidi (2/26) all relishing their home conditions at Boland Park. In contrast, the Royals batters had earlier showed their neighbours the blueprint to scoring runs at Boland Park. Openers Jason Roy and Jos Buttler were selective in their shot-making, but authoritative when they went on the attack as the pair added 116 for the first wicket that set the platform for the home side's eventual 162/3. Roy struck a Royals' best of 68 off 46 balls with eight fours and a six, while Buttler contributed 54 off 42 balls with five fours and a six. Although the Royals lost their way a bit with MI Cape Town new signing Nuwan Thushara reigning in the home side with figures of 2/27 on debut, the winelands side was not going to be denied a momentous victory on the day. (ANI)
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