By Tim Douglas 
The Sunrisers Eastern Cape gave their passionate Orange Army the perfect send-off by claiming a bonus-point victory over Paarl Royals, securing third place in SA20 Season 3. The defending champions produced a clinical 48-run win at St George’s Park, setting up an Eliminator clash against Joburg Super Kings on February 5 at Centurion.
Batting Brilliance from Hermann & Stubbs
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Sunrisers Eastern Cape posted 148/8 on a pitch that offered assistance to the bowlers. Jordan Hermann (53 off 38 balls) anchored the innings with a composed half-century, while Tristan Stubbs (43 off 27 balls) provided the late fireworks.
Stubbs was particularly explosive in the final over, smashing 23 runs off Australian recruit Mitchell Owen, propelling the total beyond the 140-mark. With Dinesh Karthik rested, Lhuan-dre Pretorius took over wicketkeeping duties for Paarl Royals, who fielded a much-changed XI under the leadership of Bjorn Fortuin.
Sunrisers Bowlers Dominate Yet Again
Defending a modest total, Sunrisers’ seamers delivered a masterclass with the ball, dismantling the Paarl Royals’ batting lineup for just 100 runs.
Marco Jansen (3/22), the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, continued his phenomenal form, while Craig Overton (3/15) proved unplayable. The duo combined to claim six wickets, ensuring the Royals never found any momentum in their chase.
With the Royals struggling at the crease, none of their batters managed to impose themselves, and Sunrisers wrapped up the game with a dominant all-round performance.
Momentum Ahead of Playoffs
Having endured a challenging start to the season, the defending champions are now peaking at the right time. Coach Adrian Birrell will be particularly pleased with the form of Hermann and Stubbs, as Sunrisers prepare for the knockout stage against Joburg Super Kings.
The victory was even sweeter as the Sunrisers players took a moment post-match to thank their loyal Orange Army—the fans who have supported them through every high and low of the season.
