Teenage opener Lhuan-dre Pretorius smashed an unbeaten 98 before Ottniel Baartman held his nerve in the final over as Paarl Royals edged out MI Cape Town by one run in a thrilling SA20 derby. Baartman’s late strikes and Sikandar Raza’s three-goal burst proved decisive. Lhuan-dre Pretorius ignited his SA20 Season 4 campaign with a superb unbeaten 98 to lead Paarl Royals to a dramatic one-run win over MI Cape Town in a pulsating Western Cape derby at Boland Park on Friday night.With 15 to defend in the final over, Royals seamer Ottniel Baartman found himself under heavy pressure after Kagiso Rabada hit the third ball for a 6 over long on. The momentum seemed to have shifted but Baartman struck immediately and Rabada got a boundary on the very next delivery.
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This meant MI Cape Town needed a six off the last ball. George Linde struck a length sweetly over cover only for the ball to fall just inches short of the rope, sparking wild celebrations from the home fans.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!After a quiet start to the season, Pretorius rediscovered his touch in his favorite spot. The teenage seamer was back to his attacking best, hitting 10 fours and two sixes in an impressive 65-ball innings. Despite the Royals crowd urging him for his first T20 hundred, Rabada’s last do denied him the milestone.
Paarl Royals’ Ottniel Baartman celebrates scoring a goal from MI Cape Town’s Rassie van der Dussen during SA20 Season 4 Match 10. (SA20)
MI Cape Town were under pressure from the start as Pretorius and Asa Tribe dominated the power play. The opening pair added exactly 100 in 10.4 overs before skipper Rashid Khan (2/31) dismissed the Tribe for 51 off 34 balls.The visitors responded strongly with the bat as Rassie van der Dussen and Ryan Rickelton (36) put on 77 for the first wicket in 7.5 overs. However, new Royals signing Sikandar Raza (3/27) turned the contest around, removing Rickelton and Nicholas Pooran before cleaning up Tom Moores with his first delivery.
MI Cape Town captain Rashid Khan hits over 6 runs during Match 10 of Betway SA20 Season 4 between Paarl Royals (PR) and MI Cape Town (MICT). (SA20)
Baartman then struck the decisive blow as he killed both Van der Dussen (59) and Jason Smith (1) in the space of three balls to derail MI Cape Town’s chase and seal a memorable victory for the Royals.A brief score Pearl Royals: 181 for 3 in 20 overs (Lhuan-dre Pretorius 98 not out, Asa Tribe 51; Rashid Khan 2/31)MI Cape Town: 180 for 8 in 20 overs (Rassie van der Dussen 59, Ryan Rickelton 36; Ottneil Baartman 4/51, Sikandar Raza 3/27)
