Sunrisers Eastern Cape delivered a commanding 61-run victory over Joburg Super Kings at St George’s Park on Wednesday, with James Coles producing a stellar all-round performance to guide his side back to winning ways.
The hosts posted 178/5 after Joburg Super Kings won the toss and elected to field, with Coles smashing 61 (34) to anchor the innings under lights in Gqeberha. Quinton de Kock contributed a fluent 54(37) balls before falling LBW to new JSK captain Donovan Ferreira, who claimed two wickets with his off-spin.
Dale Steyn’s pitch analysis suggested bowlers should target a 6-8 metre length on the low-bounce surface, with square boundaries measuring 54m and 68m and a 74m hit down the ground.
The visitors made early inroads when Nandre Burger clean-bowled Jonny Bairstow for 18 in the fifth over, angling a delivery into the England opener who backed away seeking a drive through the off-side. Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein then deceived Matthew Breetzke with clever flight, inducing a mistimed chip to Wiaan Mulder at cover with the batsman attempting an inside-out lofted drive.
Jordan Hermann fell for 13 to Ferreira before the new captain struck again, trapping De Kock plumb in front with a delivery that pitched on middle from round the wicket and turned away. However, Tristan Stubbs and Coles rebuilt the innings, steering Sunrisers to 152/4 after 18 overs before Coles accelerated in the death, reaching his half-century late in the innings.
JSK’s chase collapsed spectacularly despite reaching 39/1. Coles continued his exceptional evening by removing Rivaldo Moonsamy for 10, caught by Hermann attempting another leg-side heave. James Vince looked dangerous on 30 before dancing down the track to Coles, only to be beaten by a shortened length and stumped by De Kock.
Dian Forrester’s brief cameo of 11 (4) ended when Prenelan Subrayen Muthusamy claimed the catch, and the left-arm spinner then orchestrated a middle-order collapse. Matthew De Villiers fell to a run-out involving the omnipresent Coles, before Muthusamy dismissed Wiaan Mulder and Michael Pepper in quick succession, reducing JSK to 87/6.
The visitors’ hopes evaporated when Ferreira, playing his first match as captain following Faf du Plessis’s tournament-ending injury, fell for just 11 (9), caught off Marco Jansen’s bowling leaving the Super Kings as 108/8. Adam Milne and Anrich Nortje mopped up the tail before Jansen claimed the final wicket, with De Kock catching Gleeson’s edge to seal a comprehensive victory.
