SEC vs JSK | Coles’ dream debut powers Sunrisers into knockouts with 61-run win over Super Kings

‌Sunrisers Eastern Cape became the first team to qualify for the playoffs of the SA20 with a thumping 61-run win over Joburg Super Kings in Gqeberha on Wednesday. James Coles put in an all-round show, first scoring a quickfire half-century before picking up two wickets with the ball as the Sunrisers made it to their fourth playoff in as many years in the tournament.

After being asked to bat at St George’s Park, the Sunrisers had an electric start before losing Jonny Bairstow and Matthew Breetzke in the space of four deliveries to end the powerplay at 55/2. Fellow opener Quinton de Kock was still there and completed his half-century in 33 balls in the 10th over as the home side were placed at a comfortable 88/2 at the halfway stage. But yet again the Orange Army collapsed, losing two batters in three balls, with De Kock walking back after scoring a 37-ball 54, which included five fours and two sixes. But debutant Coles came up with a crucial half-century to take the side to a challenging 178/5 in their allotted 20 overs. The all-rounder hit 10 boundaries before being dismissed for 61 from 34 balls in the last ball of the innings. Meanwhile, skipper Donovan Ferreira was the pick among the visitors’ bowlers with a spell of 2/25 in four overs.

Super Kings started the run chase promisingly with openers James Vince and Rivaldo Moonsamy taking the side to 30/0 in the first three overs, including 17 runs from Marco Jansen’s second. But the home side came back strongly, giving away just nine runs in the next three, along with the wicket of Moonsamy, to end the powerplay at 39/1. However, things went further south for the Super Kings after their top-scorer James Vince departed in the first ball of the eighth over. The veteran English batter had three fours in his 23-ball 30, with left-arm spinner Coles packing off both openers. From 59/2, the visitors slipped embarrassingly to be skittled out for just 117 in the 19th over. Senuran Muthusamy ran through the middle order with figures of 3/26 in four overs, while Coles and Jansen picked up 2/34 and 2/33, respectively.