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So that'll be all from this game but there's the Highveld Derby to look forward to as the Joburg Super Kings host the Pretoria Capitals at the Wanderers. Do switch tabs to follow our coverage of that contest right here on Sportskeeda. For the moment, this is your host Sooryanarayanan Sesha taking your leave. Thank you for being a part of this coverage. See you around soon - buh-bye and take care!
Simon Harmer is the Player of the Match for his superb spell of 4/18. Here's what he has to say: The emotions were completely different the last time we played Durban in PE. Luckily things came off for me today. Learning from the mistakes of the past, coming over the wicket and allowing the batters to free their arms to coming around the wicket and cramp them. Just tried to rush them a little bit. You always know that Klassy's coming at you. He's a really good player of spin. He hits balls three-quarters the way up at the stumps out of the crowd. I looked to hit the sticker of the bat and not the middle and it paid off. As a South African player, playing in full stadiums, the way the crowd has turned up - I think everything has been amazing about this tournament and it's great for South African cricket.
Aiden Markram (Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain): Scrappy win with some really good individual performances. Really happy. It worked out nicely for us last year. It just comes down to each individual, their character and how they're putting everything on the line for the team. The guys really want to do it and get out there under pressure. Massive for us (the partnership between Stubbs and Jansen). They did it last year as well. They really enjoy batting together. Two really young guys closing out games is great for our country. (On Stubbs) He's worked incredibly hard, he has always had the ability. He has a great character about him. He wants to be out there and get the job done. A knock like this will go a long way for him. (On Simon Harmer) I suppose the conditions allowed us to bowl the right bowlers and he bowled really well.
Keshav Maharaj (Durban's Super Giants captain): I think we were bossing the game for most of it. I think we read the track spot on. It was a lack of execution and the Sunrisers capitalized on it. (On Wiaan Mulder) Great to see him take the opportunity on hand. He got the rewards for the hard work he has been putting in. We want to make this our fortress. Unfortunately didn't cross the line today but great to see the crowd turning up in large numbers.
Match Summary: Sunrisers Eastern Cape beat Durban's Super Giants by 5 wickets with four deliveries to spare.
Tristan Stubbs 66* (37) | Simon Harmer 4/18 (4) Wiaan Mulder 52 (29) | Marcus Stoinis 2/27 (4)
This one ebbed and flowed in either direction alright. But in the end, it's the defending champions who prevail after what was a tricky chase. Tristan Stubbs has shown just why the Sunrisers shelled out the big bucks for him at the mega auction preceding the 2023 season and he has turned in a gem of a knock today to steer his team home.
Durban's Super Giants were up for a fight with 159 to work with. Reece Topley and Marcus Stoinis were magnificent with the new ball as they got it to swing around. Dawid Malan looked in all sorts even as he got an LBW decision reversed despite reviewing it too late but he was sent packing soon after. Jordan Hermann, the centurion from the last game, also didn't look very comfortable and he couldn't convert a scratchy start into a big one this time while Tom Abell was run out in between.
The Sunrisers were in disarray as skipper Aiden Markram took charge of the chase in the company of Stubbs. The duo ran like bullets between the wickets and even as the spinners ran through their overs and kept it tight, they managed to fetch the odd boundary and build a partnership as they grew in confidence. Momentum swung their way before Stoinis returned to land a double-whammy including the wicket of Markram to leave the visitors in further trouble as the pendulum swung just like that.
Marco Jansen had to make up for an expensive fourth over with the ball and he unleashed his shots to lend Stubbs the support he was after. The asking rate didn't escalate to gargantuan proportions and that always kept the Sunrisers in the contest. The tactic of not using JJ Smuts when the game was still on was rather bizarre though from the Super Giants' perspective. Noor Ahmad endured a rough last over and while Stoinis did his best, Naveen-ul-Haq's plan to bowl the wide yorker from around the wicket came apart with Stubbs taking him to the cleaners to notch up a half-century.
Thereafter, there was only one result possible as he took his team home without breaking a sweat. A second straight win for the defending champions while the Super Giants have now lost two on the bounce. Stick around for the presentation...
And that's how you seal a game in style. Take a bow, Tristan Stubbs! That was one professional innings to take the Sunrisers up to third on the points table.
19.2 JJ Smuts to Tristan Stubbs, FOUR! DONE AND DUSTED! Short in length again with room on offer. Stubbs hangs back and carves it aerially over cover point and all he had to do was clear the inner ring. The ball rockets away to the ropes and it brings the curtains down on an entertaining contest. Sunrisers Eastern Cape record their second win of the season by a 5-wicket margin!
19.1 JJ Smuts to Tristan Stubbs, SUPERB STOP! Short and width on offer. Stubbs smashes it to cover who puts in a fabulous diving stop
JJ Smuts, left-arm orthodox, to bowl the final over
And with that, the scores are level. It's only fitting that Stubbs takes strike for the start of the final over. He has played one heck of a knock and he has the chance to leave the final stamp of imprint on the contest. Sunrisers Hyderabad require 1 run to win off the final over!
19
overs
159/5score
1
0
0
1
6
1
runs
Tristan Stubbs*
62(35)
Marco Jansen
24(14)
Reece Topley
1/29
18.6 Reece Topley to Tristan Stubbs, full length delivery on middle and leg stump. Stubbs works it from his crease to long on and retains strike
Gosh that is enormous! Thankfully, no cars were damaged. Ah a bystander manages to pick it up and exult in joy!
18.5 Reece Topley to Tristan Stubbs, SIX! UP, UP AND AWAY INTO THE STREETS! A rank slot delivery on leg stump and Stubbs swings for the bleachers. Launches it high into the sky and sends it even further back in front of square on the leg-side as it lands on the adjacent street. Watch out there!
18.4 Reece Topley to Marco Jansen, slower delivery dug short at the stumps. Jansen backs away and heaves it on the bounce to deep mid-wicket charging in. Just a single!
18.3 Reece Topley to Marco Jansen, full length delivery on leg stump. Minimal footwork from Jansen as he just taps it back to the bowler whose boot comes in the way of it. Useful dot!
18.2 Reece Topley to Marco Jansen, CLEVER! Deceptive slower one on a good length at the stumps. Wobbles across Jansen who hangs his bat down the line of the ball in vain
18.1 Reece Topley to Tristan Stubbs, width offered as he goes back of a length. Stubbs gets on top of the bounce to steer a punch to sweeper cover
Reece Topley [3.0-0-20-1] is back into the attack
Oh Tristan Stubbs! We spoke about him looking to come of age in this chase and he sure has alright. The next objective - get the job done and not leave it to anyone else. This has been a masterful knock and this game is now the Sunrisers' to lose. Sunrisers Eastern Cape require 10 runs to win off 12 deliveries at 5.00 RPO.
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Kingsmead, Durban
Tristan Stubbs
*
Reece Topley
Video
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