DSG vs JSK

That is it from this classy comeback by Faf du Plessis and co. to snatch the four points from Quinton de Kock, Durban's Super Giants' main aggressor in the second innings. With this win, Joburg Super Kings have moved to second place in the table and sit just a point below MI Cape Town, who have played a game more. For now, I, Keshav, on behalf of my colleague, Meeth, bid you a goodbye. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda for more thrilling games, as there is a lot of cricketing action to come your way.

Faf du Plessis (Joburg Super Kings): Last year when we came here the wicket was quite spin heavy. We did think that they would rely heavily on their spinners but I was surprised upfront as it was a little bit sticky. But, it looked little a pretty dry surface where the spinners were gonna play a big role. For us to be in the game, it looked like 160 would have been enough. Hopefully, there are overs towards the end where you get two boundaries or sixes and you are just back in the contest. That two sixes from Gerald towards the end was too huge just to get us over that score of 165 runs, which felt like par on this wicket. Donovan on the night looked just hard to hit. He is really good on that length, especially with a big boundary with the wind and his four crucial overs for us. And then the spinners came and bowled attacking to get wickets. That's what they do best. A good all-round performance from Donovan Ferreira. He has been working really hard on his bowling. You'll definitely see more of that. He can also come out as a proper all-rounder for the Proteas. It's always handy to have one or two bowlers out of your top five. It's a very difficult ground to come and win at, so I am very proud of our performance. Keshav has always been good on a wicket like that. What I feel we could change a little bit is that last year we were inconsistent with our away and home fixtures, so now I am looking at two or three different teams that we can roll out on different conditions. 

Keshav Maharaj (Durban's Super Giants captain): I feel we bowled in the right areas but conceded 15 too many to be left out there. Nevertheless, full credit to the JSK. They bowled really well. Quinnie showed exceptional courage to stay there as deep as he could. And obviously Klaasy as well. We lost our way a little bit but these thing s happen and it's time to reassess and go back to the drawing board. It happens in T20 cricket. On another day, Naveen could have went straight away and been the champion bowler, that he showed in the previous game. In T20 cricket, it's better not to look at isolating balls but yeah we could be better in certain periods.  It is unfortunate that we could not go the whole way. But, there are glimpses of lot of positives and if we keep on building on that, we can go a step further.

Quinton De Kock (Player of the Match): Quite difficult. As the innings progressed, it got harder and harder. The wicket got tacky. I have done it before, but on much flatter wickets. Went in deeper here but couldn't take on the bowlers. It kept getting difficult and became impossible. 

9:03 PM Local time (12:33 PM IST): Joburg Super Kings win the game by 28 runs

Durban's Super Giants: 141/10 (18) | Joburg Super Kings: 169/7 (20)

Quinton de Kock: 55 (45) | Donovan Ferreira: 2/15 (4)
Leus Du Plooy: 38 (32) | Prenelan Subrayen: 2/24 (3)

The Joburg Super Kings climb to second position in the table with that comprehensive win away at Durban. Quinton de Kock stood between Joburg and the win but finally faltered in the 18th over after persisting for long and dragging the cause single-handedly in the last few overs with wickets falling at the other end.

At one point, Heinrich Klaasen and Quinton de Kock were well settled in the middle and kept the required run rate under control with consistent boundaries. Klaasen smacked three boundaries to Pathirana but it was the latter who had the last laugh with the wicket off the last delivery. That wicket creeped the way for the visitors to take a chance at getting back in the game and they indeed took with both hands.

Tabraiz Shamsi struck twice in the over, following the wicket of Klaasen to creep up the pressure on Quinton de Kock, who helplessly saw wickets falling at the other end. Soon after, Subrayen lost his wicket due to a call for two runs coupled with a poor dive at the striker's end. With 35 runs needed off 18 deliveries and with two wickets in hand, QDK succumbed to the pressure against Coetzee on a slower delivery wide outside the off stump. And that was the last nail in the coffin.

Early on Donovan Ferreira picked up two wickets in an over and then ended with impressive figures of 2/15 in four overs. He had also played a cameo of 26 runs off 19 deliveries in the first innings. Although, it was only the two sixes off Coetzee's bat in the final over that took JSK across the par total of 160-165. And it was him who wrapped the game as well with the wickets of Quinton de Kock and Naveen-ul-Haq in the 18th and final over of the game.

17.6 Gerald Coetzee to Naveen ul Haq, WICKET! Brilliant catch from Wiese and JSK win by 28 runs. Banged in short, a slower one, Naveen goes for a pull, gets a top edge as the ball goes too high in the skies. Wiese somehow got his eyes on the ball and grabs it at deep mid wicket. Umpires check for a no ball for second bouncer, looks well below shoulders and it is OUT! 

Naveen-ul-Haq c David Wiese b Gerald Coetzee 1 (4b, 0x4, 0x6)

17.3 Gerald Coetzee to Noor Ahmad, 5 runs! Overthrow and a four. Banged in short, Noor tries to cut it, gets the inside towards keeper, Bairstow takes a hit on the non striker's end, misses and the ball races to boundary. 

17.1 Gerald Coetzee to Quinton de Kock, WICKET!!! That could be the final nail in the coffin. Back of length outside off, De Kock throws his bat on it, gets the bottom part of the bat and hands an easy catch to Wiese at mid off.

Quinton de Kock c David Wiese b Gerald Coetzee 55 (44b, 5x4, 2x6)

Pathirana struggled with the line throughout the over or it is more rightly to say that he is finding it tough to bowl the right-left combination. Quinton de Kock will be on strike and DSG require 35 runs off 18 balls.

16.6 Matheesha Pathirana to Quinton de Kock, overpitched outside off, De Kock smartly taps it to cover for a single. Retains the strike for next over. 

That was a close call as it fell just short off David Wiese, who came running all the way from long-off to the region just outside the 30-yard circle.