Paarl Royals captain David Miller pulls a delivery during match 7 (SA20) Paarl Royals captain David Miller spoiled Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s New Year’s Eve celebrations with a captain’s strike that secured his side’s first win of the SA20 Season 4 at St George’s Park on Tuesday.Chasing a modest target of 150, the Royals found themselves in serious trouble as Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje made their way through the top order. Jansen reached the milestone during the spell and became the first bowler to take 50 wickets in SA20 history. Paarl slumped to 35 for four with Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Asa Tribe, Rubin Hermann and Kyle Verreynne dismissed cheaply.
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As the chase threatened to unravel, Miller produced a masterclass in poise and controlled aggression. The left-hander anchored the innings with an unbeaten 71 off just 38 balls, timing his acceleration to perfection. He found a reliable partner in rising star Keagan Lion-Cachet, who played a key supporting role with a mature 45 off 40 deliveries.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!The pair stitched a match-turning 114-run partnership for the fifth wicket, steadily draining the pressure from the Sunrisers. Lion-Cachet fell late in the chase but Miller made sure there would be no more hiccups.The drama continued until the final moments, with the St George’s Park crowd hoping for a Super Over. Those hopes were dashed when Lewis Gregory took a costly wicket to seal victory for the Royals with two balls to spare.Earlier, Paarl’s bowlers, led by teenage sensation Nqobani Mokoena, laid the platform. In just his second SA20 appearance, the 19-year-old seamer produced career-best figures of 4/34, including the prized wicket of Quinton de Kock during the Powerplay. Ottneil Baartman complemented him well and returned figures of 3/36 against his former side.
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Jonny Bairstow (33) and Jordan Hermann (47) offered the Sunrisers some resistance but regular wickets restricted them to 149 all out. Despite the loss, Sunrisers remain top of the table with 10 points, while Royals climbed off the bottom with a timely win.A brief score Sunrisers Eastern Cape: 149 from 19.4 overs (47) Pearl Royals: 150 for 5 in 19.4 overs (David Miller 71 not out, Keagan Lion-Cachet 45; Anrich Nortje 2/21, Marco Jansen 2/25)
