Sunrisers Eastern Cape extend unbeaten run with victory over Paarl Royals

Sunrisers defeated the Royals by five wickets in Paarl

Paarl: Paarl Royals 127-7, Sunrisers Eastern Cape 131-5 – Sunrisers Eastern Cape won by five wickets

Scorecard

Sunrisers Eastern Cape extended their unbeaten run to three matches after completing a five-wicket win over Paarl Royals.

Sisanda Magala and Aiden Markram each struck inside the powerplay to remove Jos Buttler and Jason Roy, respectively, before Brydon Carse accounted for Wihan Lubbe and Eoin Morgan to reduce the home side to 62 for 4 inside 10 overs.

Roelef van der Merwe then got in on the act, removing David Miller and Corbin Bosch in quick succession, while Markram dismissed Evan Jones in the 16th over in his way to figures of 2 for 21.

^{Bjorn Fortuin picked up three wickets in five balls to set Sunrisers' nerves jangling [SA20]}

An unbeaten eighth-wicket stand of 31 off 25 between Bjorn Fortuin and Codi Yusuf saw the Royals limp to 127 for 7 at close.

Lubbe (28 off 21) and Bosch (20 off 29) were the only players to pass 20 with the bat.

In reply, a brisk 35-run partnership between Adam Rossington (20) and Jordan Hermann (43) had Sunrisers well on course for victory inside a couple of overs before two wickets in two balls from Lungi Ngidi (removing Rossington and Sarel Erwee) threatened to derail their innings.

Fortunately, Markram kept a cool head upon arriving in the middle, joining Hermann for a 57-run third-wicket stand.

Fortuin (3 for 20) gave the home fans something to cheer in the 13th over, removing Markram, Hermann and Jordan Cox in the space of five deliveries, but with 35 runs required from 43 balls and five wickets in hand it remained very much Sunrisers' game to lose.

Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen ensured there were no more nervy moments, steering their side home with 10 balls to spare.