Left Arm Around

Paarl Royals comfortably defeated MI Cape Town by 59 runs at Boland Park, as Jason Roy and their bowlers starred.

Roy, 33, registered his first 50 of the SA20 season to continue the momentum of his innings against the same opposition at Newlands on Friday night.

His knock of 69 from 46 deliveries featured 8 fours and a six before his dismissal to the impressive left-arm chinaman Thomas Kaber.

England teammate Jos Buttler also played a great hand with an innings of 54- him and Roy combining for a fantastic partnership of 116 in 79 deliveries.

Buttler is currently second on the SA20 run-scoring charts with 223 runs at an average of 55.75.

Captain David Miller promoted himself to three following the perfect foundation, but he was forced to retire injured on 24 when he injured his foot.

Subsequent Royals’ batters struggled for fluency on a difficult surface, Nuwan Thushara in particular thriving at the death, though a score of 162 looked more than competitive at the halfway stage.

Despite the scintillating form of openers Ryan Rickelton and Rassie Van Der Dussen, the visitors made the worst possible start when VDD was removed second ball and the mercurial Dewald Brevis was bowled first nut by Bjorn Fortuin.

Rickelton soon followed as West Indian Obed McCoy had him caught at mid-wicket- MICT in absolute tatters at 13-3.

Connor Esterhuizen and Sam Curran regrouped to combine for 39, but as the run-rate climbed and pressure began to tell, wickets tumbled like a deck of cards.

Bjorn Fortuin took 3-15 and Tabraiz Shamsi 2-11, their 8 overs of spin costing just 26 runs for the loss of 5 wickets.

It would be fitting that leading wicket-taker Lungi Ngidi finished the game in style after a magnificent slower ball clattered into Kagiso Rabada’s off-stump; Ngidi giving a wry smile having deceived his South Africa teammate.

Victory for Paarl Royals maintains their place at the top of the table with 4 wins and 18 points from 5 fixtures.

Defeat for MICT, however, leaves them in fourth position with 9 points from 5 games.