Paarl Royals slump to lowest total in SA20 history, bowled out for 49 and faced the second-biggest defeat in SA20.
Nortje, Milne consign Paarl Royals to record lows in one-sided contest.
After round one of the SA20 2025–26 group stage, Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC), three-time finalists, achieved a hat-trick of away victories. Over the past 24 hours, all six teams have played, and the first three games have shown a distinct pattern. The team batting first has also won every time, in addition to the visitors.
The SEC won their first game against the Paarl Royals, who were undefeated at Boland Park the previous season but had a weak bowling attack. Big partnerships finished SEC’s innings, with Jonny Bairstow and Quinton de Kock scoring 66 for the first wicket and Matthew Breetzke and Jordan Hermann scoring 73 for the fifth wicket, totalling 186 for 4.
Using six bowlers, the Royals mysteriously gave the Jersey international Asa Tribe just one over at a cost of one run. All others gave up eight runs per over or more. In response, the Royals fell to the lowest score in the SA20 of 49 after being in early danger at 7 for 2 after two overs, suffering the second-biggest tournament loss. SEC is now at the top of the standings with a bonus point.
The SA20 tournament’s most successful bowler, Marco Jansen, made an impression in this edition with just three balls. He found the inner edge of Lhuan-dre Pretorius by pitching the ball up.
The top run scorer of the previous season, Pretorius, wasn’t sure if he made contact, but UltraEdge verified it. Jansen’s total in 36 SA20 matches reached 48, five higher than Baartman, after he was removed for a duck.
Anrich Nortje made sure he couldn’t be disregarded with a commanding display of pace and bounce on an otherwise benign surface to claim 4 for 13 as Kagiso Rabada raced against the clock to demonstrate his fitness for the T20 World Cup squad.
When Nortje was sent on in the final Powerplay over, an enterprising Tribe attempted to draw a cross-seam delivery but was caught off a top edge.
When Nortje bounced Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who fended the ball to de Kock, it was the icing on the cake. Nortje left the Paarl Royals 48 for 8 after taking three wickets in his third over. With 49 balls left in the innings, their opening game was over five balls later.