In a stunning display of bowling dominance followed by a composed chase, the Joburg Super Kings (JSK) thrashed the Durban Super Giants (DSK) by six wickets in Match 6 of the SA20 Season 4 at Kingsmead on Wednesday. The victory, achieved with a massive 46 balls to spare, earned JSK a crucial bonus point and propelled them to second place on the league table.
Subrayen's New-Ball Carnage Sets the Tone
JSK captain Faf du Plessis pulled off a tactical masterstroke by handing the new ball to off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen against his former franchise. The move paid immediate dividends. Subrayen struck in his very first over, removing the dangerous Devon Conway. He then sent back the experienced Kane Williamson and the explosive Jos Buttler inside the powerplay, reducing DSG to a precarious 21/3.
Du Plessis's tactical acumen was on full display again when he replaced wicketkeeper Donovan Ferreira with Matthew de Villiers behind the stumps and immediately introduced Ferreira's part-time off-spin into the attack. The ploy worked perfectly as Ferreira dismissed the big-hitting Heinrich Klaasen to leave the home side in tatters at 36/4.
DSG's Collapse and Gleeson's Perfect Finish
From that point, the Durban innings never found any momentum. Captain Aiden Markram fought a lone battle, scoring 22 off 27 balls, but watched helplessly as wickets fell regularly at the other end. The innings was wrapped up in just 17.1 overs for a paltry 86 runs.
English seamer Richard Gleeson delivered the final blows with a remarkable spell, cleaning up the tail to finish with extraordinary figures of 3 wickets for just 2 runs from his 1.1 overs. Subrayen was the chief destroyer with 3/16.
Rossouw Steadies the Chase After Early Jitters
In reply, JSK's chase hit a minor speed bump when they lost both openers, Faf du Plessis and Matthew de Villiers, with only 19 runs on the board. The dismissal of Wiaan Mulder soon after made it 24/3, giving the Kingsmead crowd a glimmer of hope.
However, Rilee Rossouw extinguished any thoughts of a comeback. The left-handed batter rode his luck, being dropped on 8 by Kane Williamson and again on 16 by Evan Jones, but made the Super Giants pay dearly for their lapses. Rossouw played a fluent and commanding innings, striking five fours and a six in his unbeaten 43 off just 32 balls.
He calmly guided JSK towards the target before Donovan Ferreira applied the finishing touches in style, smashing an unbeaten 12 off just four deliveries. The winning runs were hit in the 13th over, sealing a comprehensive and morale-boosting win for the visiting side.
Brief Scores & Aftermath
Durban Super Giants: 86 all out in 17.1 overs (Aiden Markram 22; Prenelan Subrayen 3/16, Richard Gleeson 3/2).
Joburg Super Kings: 88/4 in 12.2 overs (Rilee Rossouw 43*; Simon Harmer 1/14).
The emphatic bonus-point victory lifts Joburg Super Kings to second spot in the SA20 standings, just behind the Sunrisers Eastern Cape. For Durban Super Giants, the heavy defeat at home exposes serious concerns with their batting lineup ahead of their next fixture.
