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DSG enjoy dramatic win despite Ferreira heroics

football01 February 2025 20:54| © MWP
By:Patrick Compton
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Durban’s Super Giants beat Joburg Super Kings by 11 runs (via the DLS method) in a thrilling match that was highlighted by two explosive innings by Heinrich Klaasen for DSG and Donovan Ferreira for the home team in their Betway SA20 match at the Wanderers on Saturday night.

The result was irrelevant in the bigger scheme of things because JSK had already reached the playoffs while DSG were out of contention.

In the end the Durban-based franchise played for pride and at least ended the season showing some of their potential, sadly unrealised through most of the tournament.

The match was interrupted by the weather (lightning and rain) for 75 minutes after JSK had reached 31 for one in 3.4 overs, chasing an initial target of 174 for victory after they had won the toss and inserted the visitors who made a challenging 173 for four in their knock.

When the players returned, needing a further 143 for victory in a total of 16 overs, Faf du Plessis and Devon Conway were at the crease.

Noor Ahmad – DSG’s left-arm spin magician, one of the few of their players to shine in this tournament – immediately bowled Du Plessis through the gate and then Wihan Lubbe two balls later.

Another scalp, that of Sibs Makhanya, left him with the superb figures of 3-25 in his four overs, yet another example of fine bowling that deserved greater reward than an early exit from this tournament.

It seemed that the home team would fall well short of their target, until Ferreira strode to the crease.

He hits a long ball and he continued to show extraordinary bat speed to smash five sixes, including the longest (109 metres) in this year’s tournament off the bowling of Naveen ul-Haq.

Ferreira, indeed, has three of the five biggest hits of the competition and there seemed a good chance that he would account for the 21 runs needed off the final over from Dwaine Pretorius.

But it was not to be. Ferreira reached the fastest 50 in the tournament in 21 balls but his violent efforts led to him twisting his back so that he needed treatment on the pitch.

A ball later and his remarkable innings ended as he edged Pretorius to Quinton de Kock behind the stumps.

That was effectively that and DSG ended the season as they started it, with a victory, albeit only the second they achieved.

EXPLOSIVE KLAASEN

Earlier, Klaasen slammed an unbeaten 76 off 47 balls to help set JSK a stiff task.

Klaasen’s explosive effort – it was only his second half-century in this season’s competition but it also marked his 10 00th run in the SA20 at an extraordinary strike rate of 172 – gave the Durban franchise good lift-off after a competition where their batters have generally failed to fire.

It appeared that this was going to happen yet again when DSG – after a good opening partnership of 39 in 27 balls from De Kock and Matthew Breetzke, promptly lost three wickets for no runs at the end of the power-play.

First, De Kock tamely angled a rising delivery from Hardus Viljoen to short third man, then Breetzke was run out after Kane Williamson struck a shot against the bowler’s stumps, the ball rebounding into the covers.

Williamson run down the pitch but suddenly changed his mind, leaving Breetzke high and dry. It was a shambolic dismissal that seemed symbolic of DSG’s season.

Marcus Stoinis came and went, edging a fine delivery from Lutho Sipamla straight to Donovan Ferreira at slip.

It was the least the fast bowler deserved after Ferreira had earlier dropped Breetzke at slip in his opening over.

Williamson again steadied the ship, enabling Klaasen to get used to the slow conditions in which not a blade of grass had been left on the Wanderers strip.

They added 64 in 45 balls and this time some luck went DSG’s way when a delivery from Viljoen seemed to find the edge of Klaasen’s bat.

The umpire was unmoved, however, and slow-motion video revealed that the ball had nicked the top of his off-stump – without removing a bail – on its way to the keeper.

Viljoen was not to be denied for much longer, however, as he ended the partnership when Williamson, on 22, glanced him to short fine leg.

The scene was then set for an explosive ending to the innings with Klaasen and Wiaan Mulder blasting 70 off 43 balls to take DSG to a competitive total.

It was, in fact, the highest total compiled by any team in the first innings of a match at the Wanderers this term.

Klaasen, showing all his renowned power and timing, slammed three fours and six sixes in his innings while Mulder struck three fours and a huge six in his 30 in 22 balls.

For JSK, the spinners were unsuccessful with the pace bowlers accounting for the three wickets to fall aside from the run-out.

In this regard, Sipamla was first among equals, finishing with the impressive figures of 1-24 in his four overs.

Viljoen, bowling with good gas, claimed 2-42 in his spell.

JOBURG SUPER KINGS: Devon Conway (wkt), Faf du Plessis (captain), Leus du Plooy, Moeen Ali, Wihan Lubbe, Sibonelo Makhanya, Donovan Ferreira, Hardus Viljoen, Maheesh Theekshana, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla

DURBAN SUPER GIANTS: Quinton de Kock (wkt), Matthew Breetzke, Kane Williamson, Marcus Stoinis, Heinrich Klaasen, Wiaan Mulder, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj (captain), Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad, Christopher King

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