Watch: Temba Bavuma bowled by half-tracker which ‘crept along the ground’ to end maiden SA20 half-century

Watch: Temba Bavuma’s maiden SA20 half-century was cruelly cut short by a ball which kept significantly low, Kyle Simmonds striking the bottom half of middle stump despite bowling a drag down.

Bavuma held the key to Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s chase, easing to a 33-ball half-century even as the rest of his side struggled, but could do little to prevent his dismissal.

It was a game in which those with significant international pedigree stood apart. Faf du Plessis underpinned the first innings, making 92 off 61 and accounting for 57.5 per cent of his side’s runs. Sunrisers Eastern Cape lost three of their top four for single-figure scores, languishing at 23-3 inside five overs, only for Bavuma and Aiden Markram to drag them back into contention with a half-century stand.

Bavuma was the main man, striking five fours and a pair of sixes in his brisk innings, but a ball after bringing up his fifty, he was undone. There was little he could do, Simmonds bowling a long-hop only for the ball to scuttle along the floor and bowl Bavuma, who had gone onto the back foot in anticipation of some bounce. Mark Nicholas described the deliver as having “crept along the ground”.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape collapsed again, losing three wickets with the score on 98, two to Simmons as some low bounce again played its part. They eventually subsided to 136-9 in their 20 overs.

For Bavuma, the half-century carried personal significance. Despite being South Africa’s T20I captain, he went unselected by any of the sides in the inaugural SA20. Following a successful ODI series against England, in which he made a century and two brisk 30s in a 2-1 win, he received a deal for Sunrisers Eastern Cape. His first game did not go to plan, Bavuma tickling a ball down the leg-side for a golden duck, but he showed his class in his second innings. Pretoria Capitals are the current favourites in the SA20 odds.