MI Cape Town lose eight wickets for 29 runs in heavy defeat by Pretoria Capitals

The Capitals lost their last outing, to Paarl Royals, but rarely looked in danger here as a powerful display with the bat by Will Jacks was followed by incisive bowling to condemn Cape Town to their fourth defeat of the campaign

Sam Morshead | 23/01/2023 at 20:42

Cape Town: Pretoria Capitals 182-8, MI Cape Town 130 - Pretoria Capitals won by 52 runs

Scorecard

MI Cape Town's middle order collapsed in a heap as Pretoria Capitals got back to winning ways in the SA20.

Jacks made 62 from 27 balls at the top of the order, combining with Kusal Mendis to give Pretoria a ridiculously fast start to their innings, before Wayne Parnell and Anrich Nortje took on the baton with the ball to leave the MI chase in a mess.

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^{Will Jacks made a half-century for Pretoria Capitals [Sportzpics/CSA/SA20]}

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^{Pretoria Capitals made 182 for 8 in 20 overs [Sportzpics/CSA/SA20]}

England international Jacks hit five fours and five sixes, teaming up with Mendis to form a first-wicket stand of 88 in seven overs.

While that partnership was broken when Mendis was caught by George Linde off Rashid Khan, and Jacks soon followed - edging behind off Odean Smith, the platform they had built gave the Capitals considerable breathing space.

And that breathing space was required, as Khan worked his way through four typically miserly overs for just 16 runs, claiming two further wickets - including that of Imaad Fortuin, his 500th victim in T20 cricket. He is not yet 25 years old.

Still, Khan's day would ultimately end in failure, as his side could not click into gear with the bat.

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^{Rashid Khan claimed his 500th T20 wicket [Sportzpics/CSA/SA20]}

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^{MI Cape Town slipped from 101 for 2 to 130 all out [Sportzpics/CSA/SA20]}

Dewald Brevis made 46 from 30 balls but no other batsman passed 24, and from 101 for 2 MI Cape Town contrived to lose eight wickets for 29 runs in 33 deliveries.

Parnell was at the centre of the action, getting rid of Rassie van der Dussen (24) lbw, and finishing with 3 for 14 in 3.1 overs. Nortje, meanwhile, claimed the key wicket of Brevis and later Khan to return figures of 3 for 22 from four overs.

Pretoria remain top of the pile, with a six-point lead on their nearest challengers, Sunrisers Eastern Cape. MI Cape Town are fourth, level on points with third-placed Paarl Royals but with an inferior net run rate.