Paarl, Jan 3 (IANS) Lhuan-dre Pretorius’ SA20 season four burst into life with an unbeaten 98 to drive Paarl Royals to a thrilling one-run victory over MI Cape Town in the Western Cape derby at Boland Park.

Royals’ seamer Ottniel Baartman had 15 runs to defend in the final over, and after Kagiso Rabada smashed the third delivery for six over long off, it seemed the momentum had swung MI Cape Town’s way. But Baartman (4/51) had Rabada caught on the boundary the next ball before the equation was reduced to MI Cape Town requiring six off the final delivery for victory. George Linde made good contact by carving a length delivery over the covers, but the ball fell just inches short of the boundary rope which sent the Royals faithful into a frenzy.

Pretorius had endured a quiet start to the competition in the first couple of matches, but the league’s leading scorer of last season was back at his beloved home ground. The teenager was back to his belligerent best, cracking 10 boundaries and two sixes during his 65-ball stay at the crease. The Royals faithful were spurring Pretorius on to a maiden T20 century, but it was not to be, with Rabada delivering a dot ball to close out the Royals innings.

The four player of the match candidates were Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Sikandar Raza, Asa Tribe and Rassie van der Dussen with Pretorius winning 72% of the fan vote. The visitors were under pressure from the outset with Pretorius and Asa Tribe dominating the power play. The Royals’ opening pair put on exactly 100 in 10.4 overs before MI Cape Town captain Rashid Khan (2/31) had the Jersey international caught for 51 off 34 balls.

MI Cape Town enjoyed an equally good start with Rassie van der Dussen and Ryan Rickelton (36) adding 77 for the first wicket in 7.5 overs before Royals’ new recruit Sikander Raza (3/27) announced his arrival at SA20. The Zimbabwe international removed both Rickelton and the dangerous Nicholas Pooran and later clean bowled Tom Moores for a first-ball duck to stem the MI Cape Town tide. But it was the double-wicket over from Baartman when the seamer picked up both Van der Dussen (59) and Jason Smith (1) within three balls of each other that scuppered MI Cape Town’s momentum.

–IANS

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