MI Cape Town‘s (MICT) all-round display on Wednesday evening in Newlands booked their maiden appearance in the SA20 Playoffs with a dominant 10-wicket win over Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC).
After all-rounder Corbin Bosch (4 for 19) and Kagiso Rabada (2 for 14) combined to bowl out SEC for just 107, Ryan Rickelton smashed a half-century (59* off 36 balls) and took the team home alongside fellow opener Rassie van der Dussen (48* off 30) for a commanding victory without losing a wicket.
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The win confirmed MICT a spot in Qualifier 1 against current table-toppers Paarl Royals in Gqeberha on February 4, with the winner of the match entering the final.
MICT’s brilliant bowling display was aided by some excellent catching from Dewald Brevis, Bosch and Reeza Hendricks — highlighted by Brevis’s one-handed screamer at the edge of the boundary.
Bedingham’s determined effort of a run-a-ball 45 kept the Sunrisers in contention, but he lacked adequate backing from his partners at the opposite end.
In the end, Andile Simelane’s 21 runs off 22 balls helped to push the SEC total past the hundred-run mark.
The Sunrisers now face a must-win game against Paarl Royals on Saturday to secure a place in the playoffs.
“(Fielding) is very important especially in this format…I feel the effort you put in fielding is very important. It put us ahead in the game…It was important to finish with the bonus point and in top two,” said MICT captain Rashid Khan after the match.
