walks down, and whips wide of mid-on! PR ace their chase of 176, and walk back home with nine wickets and eight balls in the bank. It was a full ball just outside off, and he got across slightly to let the ball flow off his bat
Eastern Cape vs Royals, 3rd Match at Paarl, SA20, Jan 11 2025 - Ball by Ball Commentary
Royals won by 9 wickets (with 8 balls remaining)
T20 cricket seems to have got a new star in the making. Teenaged Pretorius has announced himself with a match-winning 97, and given PR four points to begin with. But the action from SA20 isn't done just yet; it's time to switch over to JSK vs MICT from Johannesburg, as the hosts begin their campaign. With that, we wrap up from the afternoon game of the Saturday double-header. See you, and take care!
David Miller, PR captain: "It was a great start. It was a decent score... the way the guys played upfront, it was great to see. Root is a true ambassador of the game, and a role model for the youngsters. He obviously trains extremely hard. Hats off to him."
Aiden Markram, SEC captain: "Periods where we were good today... it was tough to get back into the game. Obviously disappointed to lose. It was nice [to score 82]. Would have liked to score more runs... Things come real quickly. The standard of this competition is really high. We've experienced this before. Can't get easier. We'll scrap our way."
Lhuan-dre Pretorius is the Player of the Match: "I'm just glad if we get over the line. Batting with Root, he calmed me down. Just lost for words. I was getting annoyed facing a couple of dot balls... Now it's not looking too ahead in the future."
Time for the presentations
4.08pm A one-sided contest, really, if you look back. PR start their season with a comprehensive win, helped by their 18-year-old debutant Pretorius. The left-hand batter swung, swiped, slashed, swept and reversed to show his variety. He might regret missing out on a century, but today will instead be about the 97 he scored in such dominant fashion. SEC, after starting with a... well, 97-run defeat against MICT, now suffer another big loss. These results have dented their NRR already, but there's still a long, long way to go. They'll back themselves to hit back. Meanwhile, hang around with us for the presentations.
whips this length ball to deep-backward square leg
ohh, the ball spins away from Jansen at mid-off! Miller swatted this length ball angling across him and finishing just outside off. The ball went to Jansen's right, before jumping and turning away to fox Jansen
PR one hit away...
fullish ball on middle and off, and clipped behind square
Baartman back
Archit: "Hopefully, they bounce back after two thumping losses. Come on, SEC"
ohh, an inswinging yorker which hits Miller on the front leg, which is stationed outside leg, as he looks to whip but misses
on a length on leg, and a short-arm pull towards deep-backward square leg
"Joe Root is in the form of his life. England should select him in ODIs against India and then in Champions trophy" --- Wake up, Hassan!
nearly a yorker-length ball swinging into middle, and clipped towards mid-on for a quick single
quite full and straight, and clipped to deep square leg
wow, his impressive timing continues! He waits for this length ball angling across and arriving outside off to bounce well, and then unleashes the late cut to deep-backward point
Ankur Baid: "Worse possible start for Sunrises. Two huge losses will hamper their NRR"
full and around off. Driven to deep point from deep in the crease
Do SEC have any hope now? Here comes Jansen
quite full on middle and leg again, and chipped down towards long-on
slower ball, and very nearly a yorker on middle and leg. Whipped wide of fine leg for two
on the shorter side again, but closer around off. Dispatched to deep square leg
fifty for Root! On the shorter side of a length from Gleeson, and just outside off. He shifts his weight back, and pulls it to deep midwicket
great work by Crawley, who runs and dives to his left from deep point to keep this to two. It was the late cut from Root, who let this length ball around sixth come on to him
full ball angling across towards middle and off. He has a swing, but gets an inside edge to fine leg
Gleeson to resume after the break
Muneeb: "Woahh! Very nearly we missed the opportunity to watch 3 T20 hundreds in the same day across two leagues in distant parts of the world."
Time-out
full delivery on middle, and driven down to keep ticking
tucks this fullish ball on the stumps to long-on
whips this full ball on middle and leg to deep square leg, and they hurriedly bag two
ohh, this dips on a full length on the stumps, and is much slower too. He pushes forward, but gets an inside edge wide of the stumps
Over 19 • PR 176/1
Royals won by 9 wickets (with 8 balls remaining)