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The two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC), entering a new era in their SA20 journey under leadership of Tristan Stubbs, had a season four campaign opening worth remembering as they bowled out Paarl Royals for just 49, the lowest ever score in the tournament's history on Saturday night to gain a bonus point to go along with their win.
It was also the first time the Sunrisers had triumphed in their opening game of the season. The battle of the Hermann, Rubin and Jordan brothers at Boland Park was comfortably won by Sunrisers' Jordan, who struck a delightful 62 not out off just 28 balls (five fours, four sixes) to power the two-times champions to 186/4, as per an SA20 press release. The left-hander bookended the Sunrisers' innings by taking 22 runs off Delano Potgieter's final over. It was the perfect ending after Quinton de Kock (42 off 24 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and Jonny Bairstow (31 off 33 balls with five fours) had provided the momentum upfront with a 66-run stand off only 50 balls. The momentum was maintained by Matthew Breetzke (31 off 23 balls, with two fours and a six) and Hermann, who added a further 73 off 42 balls for the fourth wicket before the blitz at the death. Jordan Hermann's unbeaten 62 made him a contender for the 'Player of the Match' award until Nortje got hold of the ball. The Royals' chase never got out of the starting blocks with the Sunrisers' pacemen Marco Jansen (1/15 ), Adam Milne (2/17) and Anrich Nortje (4/13) wreaking havoc in the Powerplay to reduce the home team to 30/4. Asa Tribe (14) and wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne (11) were the only ones touching the double-digits with Paarl Royals being bundled out for 49 in 11.5 overs. Nortje, in particular, worked up a good head of steam in his SA20 comeback after "The Uitenhage Express" missed the last two seasons due to injury. There was no way back from there for the Royals, who will have to regroup quickly ahead of the rematch against the Sunrisers at St George's Park on New Year's Eve. (ANI)
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