Sunrisers Eastern Cape are SA20 champions thanks to crushing win over Pretoria Capitals

Roelof van der Merwe continued his superb tournament with the ball with four wickets as the Capitals struggled to 135, before Adam Rossington clattered a rapid half-century in reply to lay the perfect foundation for a successful chase

Johannesburg: Pretoria Capitals 135, Sunrisers Eastern Cape 137-6 - Sunrisers Eastern Cape won by four wickets

Roelof van der Merwe and Adam Rossington played starring roles as Sunrisers Eastern Cape became the first winners of the SA20.

Van der Merwe continued his superb tournament with the ball with four wickets as Pretoria Capitals struggled to 135, before Rossington clattered a rapid 57 in reply to lay the perfect foundation for a successful chase.

Sunrisers, who finished the regular season 13 points behind their opponents in third place, got to their target with four wickets and 22 balls to spare, in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 22,000.

^{Roelof van der Merwe took four wickets for Sunrisers Eastern Cape [Sportzpics/SA20/CSA]}

^{Adam Rossington made crucial runs in the final [Sportzpics/SA20/CSA]}

It might not have been the finest spectacle at the end of an engaging first running of this tournament, but for the men in orange that won't matter a jot.

Pretoria's innings lacked fluency on a wicket which had laid under cover for much of the week due to heavy rain in the region - the final had to be pushed back 24 hours because of a waterlogged outfield at the Wanderers.

Six of the Capitals top seven reached double figures but none went beyond 21, as the Sunrisers bowling attack made the most of helpful conditions.

Van der Merwe's 4 for 31, three of his wickets bowled, was the standout contribution, but Aiden Markram kept the squeeze on Pretoria through the middle of the innings with 1 for 17 from four overs. 

^{More than 22,000 fans were at the Wanderers [Sportzpics/SA20/CSA]}

^{Rossington's 59 was a match-winning innings [Sportzpics/SA20/CSA]}

When Adil Rashid was last man out with three deliveries of the first innings left unbowled, it left Sunrisers with a tricky but undaunting chase. Rossington turned it into little more than an inconvenience.

The Englishman tucked into the Pretoria attack, most especially Migael Pretorius, who was carted for 26 in a single over. He reached his fifty in 20 balls and, though he could not see the task through to completion, his role made what could have been an uncomfortable experience become a parade.

Eastern Cape endured a wobble with the finishing line in sight. Captain Aiden Markram picked out Rilee Rossouw at mid-on off Colin Ingram, Jordan Cox skied a catch to wicketkeeper Phil Salt while trying to lift Jimmy Neesham over midwicket, and Tristan Stubbs was dislodged by Anrich Nortje.

But the platform Sunrisers had been given by Rossington had all-but eliminated scoreboard pressure, and a late cameo from Marco Jansen - who hit a four and a six in his 13 not out - helped secure victory.