Captain Faf's half-century keeps JSK in playoff race after beating Paarl at Bullring
Faf du Plessis carried his team on his broad shoulder to an emphatic seven-wicket win over the Paarl Royals in their crucial SA20 clash at the Wanderers on Thursday.
Du Plessis (87) couldn't quite get to his 100, but in limiting the Royals to 150/9 in their 20 overs, JSK gave themselves a gettable target that they achieved with 13 balls left.
They missed the bonus point, but in the rat race to finish either third or fourth, JSK (19) kept themselves in the hunt.
The Royals, without Joe Root and David Miller, missed a chance to go top.
They still stay fourth as the Sunrisers Eastern (19) have collected three bonus points to JSK's one, but they still have their clash against Durban's Super Giants on Saturday.
Du Plessis' 78th T20 fifty belied a spirited bowling effort that was led by the young Kwena Maphaka (0/18).
The young tearaway didn't have the wickets to show for his display, but his pace and hostility discomfited JSK.
At some point, the teenager engaged in a verbal spat with Du Plessis and Leus du Plooy, but his performance, in which he regularly touched speeds of 144km/h, ensured that he needed to be played off.
Him and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (1/20) were the threats with the ball, but they didn't get the requisite support.
Lungi Ngidi (1/30) started well but faded as his spells progressed while the other bowlers were being milked.
The platform for JSK's chase was laid by the 54-run opening stand between Devon Conway (20) and Du Plessis, with the former being castled b
That drew the sting from the Royals' defence and the 76-run alliance between Du Plessis and Du Plooy (18*) effectively took the game home.
Du Plessis holed out to Lhuan-dre Pretorius at deep backward square leg off Keith Dudgeon (1/29), but the game was long gone.
Donova