Tony de Zorzi and Jordan Hermann helped back-to-back SA20 champions the Sunrisers Eastern Cape qualify for a third successive final.

Photo: Shaun Roy/Sportzpics

Tony de Zorzi and Jordan Hermann propelled the Sunrisers Eastern Cape into their third successive SA20 final to maintain their push for a hat-trick of titles.

The Sunrisers’ top order finally found their rhythm with De Zorzi, having only joined the franchise late into their campaign as a replacement for the injured Patrick Kruger, delivering an innings to remember on a balmy night in Centurion.

The Proteas batsman showed his international class with a stroke-filled 78 off just 49 balls (11 fours, two sixes) that helped the Sunrisers cruise past the Royals’ 175-4 with eight wickets to spare.

“It’s very, very cool. It hasn’t set in yet. I am really grateful to [Sunrisers captain] Aiden [Markram] for giving me this opportunity,” De Zorzi said.

“It wasn’t warranted but I am glad I could repay. I was a bit surprised I was playing but really happy that I got a chance.”

Fellow left-hander Jordan Hermann played his part to perfection during the superb 111-run partnership for the second wicket with De Zorzi that broke both the back of the run chase and the Royals’ spirits.

Hermann completed the job in style finishing unbeaten on 69 off 48 balls (four fours, four sixes).

HIGHLIGHTS: Paarl Royals vs Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SA20)

“Another good night. We are getting there, happy to restrict them. Good to see guys firing, all coming into place now,” said Markram. “It’s a big lift for the guys. It’s nice for them to experience this on such a good big stage.”

It certainly was a special night for the Hermann brothers with Rubin Hermann earlier setting up the Royals’ innings with 81* off 53 balls.

Rubin batted superbly in tandem with the competition’s leading-run Lhuan-dre Pretorius (59 off 41 balls) as the pair added 99 runs off 64 balls for the second Royals wicket.

It was Pretorius’ third half-century of the competition.

The Royals were provided further impetus towards the backend of their innings by a swashbuckling Andile Phehlukwayo (22* off 11 balls).

But the night belonged to the men in orange as they booked their now perennial place in the SA20 final.

“We lost the last four games but really proud of the unit,” said Royals captain David Miller. “We had some really outstanding performances. We had great team spirit. A sad situation to end like this but it is what it is. All the best to Sunrisers.”

Photo: Shaun Roy/Sportzpics

The Sunrisers Eastern Cape beat the Paarl Royals by eight wickets in the second qualifier playoff in Centurion.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain Aiden Markram says his team will start at “zero” when they face the Paarl Royals in the second qualifier playoff in Centurion on Thursday.

The double defending champions kept their hat-trick title bid alive when they defeated the Joburg Super Kings by 32 runs in the eliminator playoff at the same venue on Wednesday.

HIGHLIGHTS: Sunrisers Eastern Cape vs Joburg Super Kings (SA20)

The Royals, meanwhile, have had to travel up to the Highveld after losing to MI Cape Town at St George’s Park in the first playoff qualifier on Tuesday.

It was David Miller’s team’s third loss in succession since becoming the first side to qualify for the playoffs almost two weeks ago. ​

The Sunrisers, meanwhile, have recovered from back-to-back defeats to win three games in succession to now sit just one game away from a third successive SA20 final.

The momentum is clearly with the Sunrisers, but Markram feels that counts for nothing in what will be his team’s sixth knockout match across three seasons. ​ ​

“I don’t think we’ve been particularly great this competition. So, we’re chasing and trying to play that perfect game,” Markram said.

“I know it’s probably never, ever going to happen, but that’s sort of what we’re striving for. And we trust that if we’re able to get close to that, then whatever the result might be, you sleep a lot better at night. So, that’s sort of what we’re chasing and where our focus is at.

“I’m sure the guys in the sheds are happy about that, that we’ve backed our previous game up, especially at a venue where it can be difficult to defend.

“We defended well as a team and managed to get the results. So, yeah, hopefully the run can continue, but [on Thursday] we start fresh, and we all start on zero again.”

FEATURE: Herman family living SA20 dream

Paarl Royals all-rounder Dayyaan Galiem believes his team is capable of upsetting the Sunrisers despite having lost their last three matches.

“We’ve played good cricket over the last few weeks, so, we’re pretty confident,” he said. “We’re pretty happy with where we are. The team is still in a good space.”

Galiem also feels that the Royals have plenty of local knowledge about Centurion which will aid their cause on Thursday.

“Pretoria is a special place to me. Obviously, I play most of my cricket there as well. So, a few of us know the conditions well,” Galiem said.

“One of our coaching staff [Richard das Neves] also is the head coach of the Titans, which is based at that stadium. So, we’ll definitely come together, see what we can find about night games.

“And definitely try to favour those decisions we do make, whether it’s extra seamer, extra spinner, whatever we look to do.

“I think what is important for us is to start off well and bring the intensity. I think we’re the type of team that when we have brought our intensity, we’ve done really well.”

Photo: Shaun Roy/Sportzpics

The Hermann family will be split straight down the middle when the Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Paarl Royals meet in Thursday’s second qualifier playoff in Centurion.

The winner will face MI Cape Town in the Wanderers final on Saturday.

Jordan has, of course, already won the SA20 title twice with the Sunrisers.

But this season their sports-crazed father, Marius, has had to split his supporters jersey in two halves – one painted in orange for Jordan and the other pink for Rubin.

“My dad has a Sunrisers side and a Paarl Royals side, so he’s the happiest man on earth at the moment. It’s a massive pride,” Jordan said after the Sunrisers beat the Royals at St George’s Park in the league stage.

“It’s almost a dream come true, two brothers coming together and playing together. It’s quite fairytale-esque. Yeah, it is quite the fairytale.”

Rubin added: “Like Jordan said, our full circle came around. We’ve tried our best for him not to wear that shirt, to be honest. It’s a bit embarrassing … but he’s a stubborn man.

“He’s living his dream right now. I think he’s thrown a lot of balls at us, so he’s actually just plucking the fruits of his labour from the back garden and nets at our house as well.

“We have to let him be, because he is quite a passionate man. Because when he sets his mind to something, it won’t be stopped. So yeah, that shirt will be out every single time.”

Rubin that has been a revelation for the Royals in the No 3 position. The 28-year-old has struck two half-centuries and made solid contributions throughout and is playing an integral role for the Royals in the playoffs after Joe Root was called up for international duty.

“I’ve said for the past two seasons … I’m OK … but my brother’s definitely better than me,” Jordan said. “I’m glad he’s backed me up. I think I’m more nervous for his performance than my own.”

Jordan, though, enjoyed a timely return to form against the Royals with a half-century at St George’s Park.

“He always seems to score runs against me as well, even domestically. He loves scoring runs against the Dragons.

“I think he’s already got a 99 and now 50 against me this season, so … I hate playing against him because he always scores runs, but also very nice to see as well.”

PREVIEW: ‘Pretty confident’ Royals out to dethrone Sunrisers

MI Cape Town dominated with bat and ball at St George’s Park to secure their place in the SA20 final at the Wanderers on Saturday.

Photo: Richard Huggard/Sportzpics

MI Cape Town booked their first appearance in a SA20 final with a 39-run victory over the Paarl Royals in the first qualifier playoff at St George’s Park on Tuesday.

Robin Peterson’s team were superior in all facets from the moment they were inserted by Royals skipper David Miller.

The opening batsmen Ryan Rickelton (44 off 27 balls) and Rassie van der Dussen (40 off 32) laid the platform for the imposing 199-4 with an impressive 87-run opening stand in just 9.2 overs.

The Royals staged a mini fightback by picking up three wickets for the addition of just six runs to leave MI Cape Town at 91-3.

The momentum, however, swung back in favour of the table-toppers, with George Linde smashing three sixes in his 14-ball 26.

With the Royals losing their discipline with a couple of waist high full tosses that saw Dayyaan Galiem being forced out of the attack, it allowed Dewald Brevis (44* off 30 balls) and Delano Potgieter (32* off 17 balls) to add 74 runs in the last five overs.

HIGHLIGHTS: MI Cape Town vs Paarl Royals (SA20)

The Royals began their run chase in a positive manner with Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Mitchell Owen taking 21 runs off Trent Boult’s opening over.

Pretorius’ cameo (15 off six balls) was quickly brought to an end by Kagiso Rabada, though.

The Royals were unable to build up any momentum from thereon with only captain David Miller offering up any resistance with a 26-ball 45.

There were further celebrations for MI Cape Town when captain Rashid Khan became the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket when he went past West Indian Dwayne Bravo by clean bowling Royals all-rounder Dunith Wellalage.

The Royals will have another opportunity to reach the final in Thursday’s second qualifier playoff in Centurion.

Photo: Shaun Roy/Sportzpics

MI Cape Town booked their place in the SA20 final with a 39-run win in the first playoff qualifier at St George’s Park.

The top two teams after the SA20 league stage, MI Cape Town and the Paarl Royals, will meet in the first playoff qualifier at St George’s Park on Tuesday.

The two Western Cape sides both won seven out of 10 matches, which included historic five-match unbeaten streaks at home, to earn the first chance to reach the final.

The Royals will be missing one half of their own potent opening combination with former England captain Joe Root having departed for international duty last week.

However, Teenage starlet Lhuan-dre Pretorius remains a formidable force in the powerplay, while the Royals have been boosted by the return of their captain, David Miller, who missed the last two matches due to injury.

“Yeah, it’s feeling good. I took a week off and have done a fitness test and it seems to be going well. We’ll see how we pull up tomorrow [Tuesday] morning,” Miller said.

“I think it’s fair to say that you can’t really replace someone like Root – his calibre and what he’s achieved in this competition and given us – but I truly believe that we’ve got a squad that is very adaptable. I’ve spoken all season about that.

“The guys coming in are super, super positive and really skillful as well. [Australian] Mitch Owen [who replaced Root] gives us the power up front and he can bowl as well. So really chuffed with his addition.”

Miller’s team were the first to qualify for the playoffs, but MI Cape Town have hit a purple patch heading into Tuesday’s qualifier.

The Royals skipper says his team has accepted the challenge.

“Yeah, they seem to be on fire, but it’s a great opportunity for us to knock them off [their perch]. They’re a phenomenal team and have got a lot of match winners in their team.

“But I truly believe in T20 it’s about really seizing the moments and it takes just one or two guys to really stand up.”

While the Royals have progressed to the playoffs every season since the competition’s inception, this will be MI Cape Town’s first appearance after two poor seasons.

They will once again be reliant on their in-form top order of Rassie van der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton and Reeza Hendricks to lay the platform before the explosive hitters consisting of Dewald Brevis, George Linde and Delano Potgieter take strike.

Their charge will be led by their impressive captain Rashid Khan, who fully embraced the Newlands faithful this season.

“We haven’t had many wins in the first two years for them – only three out of 10 games – but this year, we had five out of five,” he said. “The way they came out and supported the team was amazing and beautiful. It gives us as a team so much energy inside the field.

“We are looking forward to giving them the trophy this year.”

Photo: Shaun Roy/Sportzpics

Craig Overton and Marco Jansen ensured the Sunrisers Eastern Cape will go into the SA20 playoffs with confidence.

Photo: Ron Gaunt/Sportzpics