Ryan Rickelton plundered his second Betway SA20 century to propel MI Cape Town to a commanding 36-run victory over Joburg Super Kings at DP World Wanderers on Saturday night, keeping his side’s playoff hopes alive whilst continuing to make a compelling case for international selection.
The Proteas batsman, controversially omitted from South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad, produced a stunning unbeaten 114*(60) on his home ground, smashing nine sixes and eight fours as MICT posted an imposing 234/3 batting first. Rickelton became the first player to score two centuries in a single SA20 season across the tournament’s four-year history.
MICT skipper won the toss and elected to bat, with Rickelton and Rassie van der Dussen launching a brutal assault on the JSK bowling attack. The pair plundered 67 runs during the powerplay, with Dan Worrall’s opening over leaking 20 runs after three wides. The carnage continued as the opening partnership reached 129 from just 62 balls.
Van der Dussen compiled a blistering 65 (32) deliveries, striking six sixes and four fours before pulling Worrall straight to Wiaan Mulder at deep square leg in the 11th over. Rickleton received a fortunate reprieve on 43 when James Vince’s relay catch was ruled out after the third umpire determined he had touched the boundary rope.
The left-hander then seized control, reaching his half-century with a six off Nandre Burger in the 10th over. The 28-year-old survived a scare on 87 when Burger had him caught, only for replays to reveal a no-ball. Rickelton punished the reprieve by striking the next three deliveries for 4, 4, 6, bringing up his century in just 54 balls. Karim Janat’s unbeaten cameo of 20 from 11 balls helped MICT finish strongly, with 55 runs plundered from the final three overs.
JSK’s chase suffered a devastating blow before it began when captain Faf du Plessis was ruled out after injuring his finger whilst fielding.
Mid-tournament signing Michael Pepper opened in his absence but edged Kagiso Rabada to Rickelton for just 2. Matthew de Villiers fell LBW to George Linde before Mulder chopped Rabada onto his stumps for a duck, leaving JSK reeling at 47/3 after the powerplay.
Vince fought valiantly, striking 10 fours and three sixes in his 77 (43), reaching his half-century with a boundary off Rashid Khan before launching consecutive sixes off Trent Boult. However, Linde’s spinning delivery caught his outside edge in the 12th over, with Rabada completing the catch at short third man.
Dian Forrester continued the resistance with 80*(42), bringing up his fifty with a boundary off Boult before hammering two sixes in Corbin Bosch’s final over. Donovan Ferreira contributed 22(15) in a 50-run partnership, but once he edged Bosch to Rickelton, the result became inevitable.
The victory marked MICT’s second consecutive win after opening the campaign with five straight defeats, though they failed to secure a bonus point despite their substantial total.
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