MICTvSEC report: Bosch special, Linde blitz carry us over in tense thriller

“This franchise is never out of the tournament till the last game,” said Nicholas Pooran after the game. 

We stay alive. Oh, this was nervy. A low-scoring thriller, sealed by some late cameos. We’ll take these four points. We now need some results to go in our favour, but we have our sights firmly on the fourth spot on the points table. We know the equation, the first box is ticked, now onto Sunday in the reverse fixture to check the second.. 

Polly power on arrival

Instant impact. We know Kieron Pollard does it in an innings, but he’s done it on arrival here in South Africa, impressing with a 44-ball 20 run blitz when the asking rate was getting tricky. And he was taking on the baton from George Linde…

..who had just gone 6, 4, 4 to turn the tables 

MI Cape Town were 81/3 in 13 overs. Reeza Hendricks was playing the anchor’s role. Linde was just warming up. Adam Milne came on to bowl. And boom.

13.1: SIX: Smashed over the bowler’s head 

13.2: FOUR: Backs away and carves it over extra cover 

13.3: FOUR: Pulled away into mid-wicket 

And just like that, the pressure was set free. The stage was set for the Polly show.

We’ve missed you, Boulty and first ball wickets

Full, swinging away, forcing the batter to drive. Quinton de Kock fell for it, got the outside-edge and the keeper did the rest. The first ball of the innings, and Trent Boult had struck to signal MICT’s intentions in a must-win game. 

And Bosch’s four-feathered performance 

He’s been adding feather after feather to his hat over the last year, but tonight, he added four of them, picking wickets at each stage of the game: the powerplay, middle overs, the death, and ensuring the Sunrisers Eastern Cape had no rhythm in their innings, ending up with just 139 in their 20 overs. It was only fit he hit the winning runs as well. 

“It'll be incredibly special,” said Bosch when asked the team’s chances of making it to the playoffs. We agree. The Cape Town Faithful have been incredible over the last three weeks. Let’s give them some more cheer on Sunday!