Markram guides Sunrisers to challenging total

Skipper Aiden Markram guided Sunrisers Eastern Cape to a challenging 184-6 in their Betway SA20 Eliminator against Joburg Super Kings at Centurion on Wednesday night.

Markram struck an unbeaten 63 in 40 balls, including five fours and two sixes, as he helped his team recover from a stutter in mid-innings after they got a rocket start of 46 in 22 balls from openers David Bedingham and Tony de Zorzi.

Super Kings’ skipper Faf du Plessis quickly saw that, unusually, pace wasn’t working at Centurion as fast bowler Lutho Sipamla went for 33 off his first two overs.

Changing tactics, Du Plessis brought on mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana and Imran Tahir and the pair responded by claiming the scalps of both batters.

On a two-paced pitch that encouraged some turn and “stick” in the surface, the match changed.

First Theekshana bowled De Zorzi and then Tahir, with his first ball, had Bedingham (27 off 14 balls) brilliantly caught by Du Plessis at mid-off as he tried to drive the ball over his head.

It was a 85-year-old combo (Tahir 45, Du Plessis 40) that resulted in a huge wicket for the Super Kings.

Jordan Hermann and Tom Abell then fell cheaply to Hardus Viljoen and Moeen Ali respectively to leave SEC struggling on 75 for four at the end of the ninth over and it required a rescue job from Markram and Tristan Stubbs to help Sunrisers to reassert themselves.

The pair added a solid 56 off 43 balls to set up the innings for a blazing finale.

Stubbs played the shot of the innings, a reverse scoop off Viljoen for six, before perishing in the deep off the first ball of Tahir’s final over.

That seemed a major blow for the batting team, but Marco Jansen and Markram ensured a destructive finish, slamming 53 off 25 balls to ensure a challenging total.

In all, 47 came off the last three overs with Sipamla – so good in the tournament up to now – going for an expensive 72 off his four overs.

Tahir, however, claimed the excellent figures of 2-21 and was well backed up in the spin department by Moeen (1-19) and Theekshana (1-29).

Of the pacemen, Viljoen was the most impressive, bowling with gas to claim 2-37.

SUNRISERS EASTERN CAPE: Tony de Zorzi, David Bedingham, Jordan Hermann, Tom Abell, Aiden Markram (capt), Tristan Stubbs (wk), Marco Jansen, Liam Dawson, Craig Overton, Ottneil Baartman, Richard Gleeson

JOBURG SUPER KINGS: Faf du Plessis (capt), Devon Conway (wk), Wihan Lubbe, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, JP King, Evan Jones, Hardus Viljoen, Maheesh Theekshana, Imran Tahir, Lutho Sipamla