PAARL - The Paarl Rocks really are the darlings of the Mzansi Super League. And it all starts with their passionate purple fan base that turn up at Boland Park ready for a party.
And on Sunday they were royally entertained with Faf du Plessis’s team crushing their noisy neighbours Cape Town Blitz.
The Rocks were simply better in every department. Even though their own innings fell away – the home side were 107/2 after 10.3 overs – they still had more than enough in the bank.
It really was a comedown for the Blitz batting unit after they had belted a record 213 at the Wanderers on Friday evening. However, here at the coast, the wickets are much slower and it requires greater application than simply hitting through the line. Especially against a Paarl Rocks bowling line-up hand picked for the conditions.
Proteas T20 left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin (2/13) continues to enhance his reputation for being able to deliver in the Powerplay, while the rest of the Rocks bowlers took pace off the ball from the outset. The plan worked particularly well against the in-form Blitz openers Janneman Malan and Quinton de Kock, who both fell to Hardus Viljoen. From thereon it was a struggle throughout with fellow Proteas T20 chinaman spinner Tabraiz Shamsi (3/16) delivering the knockout blows.
