England Men's Cricket Team

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A 40-ball 60 from Jonny Bairstow was not enough as Joe Root's Paarl Royals beat Joburg Super Kings by six wickets in the SA20.

Bairstow hit three sixes and two fours as the Super Kings, who were 36-4 at one stage, posted 146-6.

Moeen Ali was one of those dismissed early - out caught at deep extra cover off England team-mate Root for one.

Root finished with 1-16 from four overs but was out for six in the fifth over of the Royals' chase.

The Royals still eased to victory, however, with David Miller finishing 40 not out.

With four runs needed at the start of the final over, Miller should have been out caught in the deep but seamer Lutho Sipamla overstepped.

The South Africa international hit the next ball for six to complete victory with five balls to spare.

Paarl go top of the table on 16 points at the competition's halfway stage. Joburg are third on 10 points.

Scorecard, SA20 fixtures & table

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Joe Root made an unbeaten 92 off 60 balls as Paarl Royals chased a tournament-high 213 to beat Pretoria Capitals by eight wickets in the SA20.

Root hit 11 fours and two sixes and was supported by Rubin Hermann (56 off 33) and David Miller (48* off 24) as Paarl won with two balls to spare.

It beats the previous highest chase of 204 by Joburg Super Kings against Durban's Super Giants in 2024.

Root, who has not played a T20 for England since 2019, is the second highest run-scorer in this year's SA20 with 195 runs, at an average of 97.5 and strike-rate of 146.62.

Asked if he was enjoying the tournament, Root told Sky Sports: "I am. It is a great tournament, great to be a part of and great to play some T20 cricket."

Root will play in the majority of the group stage before joining England's 50-over squad for their tour of India and the Champions Trophy that follows.

Capitals had posted 212-5 with Will Smeed making 54 off 34 balls, but Will Jacks was out for nine off eight balls.

Saturday's other game saw MI Cape Town thrash Joburg Super Kings by seven wickets.

Ryan Rickelton crashed 89 off 39 balls as Cape Town chased 173 in 15.5 overs to secure a bonus-point win.

Joburg had posted 172-5 with Faf Du Plessis making 61 off 38 and Jonny Bairstow 43 not out off 27.

Cape Town lead the six-team table from Paarl and Joburg. Pretoria and Durban's Super Giants are fourth and fifth with two-time winners Sunrisers Eastern Cape bottom.

• SA20 fixtures & table

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Joe Root's Paarl Royals cruised to a six-wicket win over MI Cape Town on the back of teenager Lhuan-dre Pretorius' superb 83 from 52 balls in the SA20.

Having been set 159 to win, Root scored a run-a-ball 15 for the Royals as he played second fiddle to Pretorius in a 50-run opening stand.

While the former England skipper, who also took 1-24 with the ball, was dismissed by Trent Boult in the last over of the powerplay, 18-year-old Pretorius powered on and hit eight fours and three sixes.

The left-hander was eventually run out with the Royals 25 short of their target but captain David Miller's 24 not out got them over the line with an over to spare.

South Africa international Rassie van der Dussen had earlier batted through the innings for MI Cape Town, finishing unbeaten on 91 from 64 balls with five fours and five sixes.

However, support was limited and while the away side kept wickets in hand, spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2-27) was the pick of a Royal bowling attack that ensured Cape Town never got away from them.

A total of 158-4 proved to be insufficient thanks to Pretorius' second blistering half-century of the tournament.

MI Cape Town remain top of the table despite a second loss in four games, a point clear of the Royals, who have won two of their first three.

• SA20 fixtures & table

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Adelaide Strikers hopes of making the Big Bash League knockout stages suffered a blow as they fell to a three-wicket loss to Sydney Sixers despite the best efforts of Ollie Pope and Jamie Overton.

England Test vice-captain Pope top-scored with 57 from 39 balls, adding 97 for the fourth wicket with Alex Ross (48 from 37), before Overton added an unbeaten 32 from 14 late in the innings as the Strikers posted 182-5.

However, Steve Smith's half-century got the Sixers chase off to the ideal start before he was dismissed by Overton having made 52 from 31 balls.

Overton, who ended with figures of 2-35, trapped Jordan Silk lbw in the same over and when Moises Henriques fell to wrist-spinner Lloyd Pope at the start of the next, the Sixers were 92-5.

But Lachlan Shaw and Ben Dwarshuis' 55-run stand got them back in contention and Hayden Kerr's cameo of 18 from nine balls got the away side over the line with a ball to spare.

While the Sixers return to the top of the table, the Strikers stay sixth and progressing to the knockout phase is no longer in their own hands.

• Big Bash fixtures & table

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England's Jacob Bethell produced a brilliant all-round display but could not prevant Melbourne Renegades suffering a four-wicket defeat by Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League.

Renegades were 23-3 but Bethell, 21, smashed 87 off 50 balls before being run out in the final over as they posted 154-7.

The left-hander hit eight fours and four sixes in his first half-century of the tournament.

He then opened the bowling and dismissed Charlie Wakim in his second over as Hurricanes, who had already qualified for the knockouts, slipped to 50-3.

Small partnerships saw them require 24 from 24 balls but Bethell removed Matthew Wade to turn the game again.

Renegades squeezed to leave Hurricanes needing eight from the final over but Tim David (24* off 15) hit the third ball for six before taking a single to seal the win.

Hurricanes go top of the table and a win in their final game would see them secure top spot and two chances to reach the final.

Renegades are no longer able to qualify for the knockouts.

• Big Bash fixtures & table

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England's Joe Root made an unbeaten 62 on his SA20 debut to guide Paarl Royals to a nine-wicket win over Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

Root, who last played a T20 for England in 2019, hit four fours and one six as Paarl chased 176 with eight balls to spare.

He was happy to play a supporting role to fellow opener and 18-year-old Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who smashed a brilliant 97 off 51 balls on his debut.

The left-hander hit all round the wicket and smacked 10 fours and six sixes as Eastern Cape's bowlers strayed.

"Batting with Rooty just calmed me down, gave me some clarity and it was amazing. I'm lost for words," Pretorius told Sky Sports.

"A lot of credit has to go to Rooty for only conceding four dot balls. He allowed me to get into a rhythm. He helped me a lot and I'm grateful for that."

Defending champions Eastern Cape, who have now lost their opening two games, posted 175-5 with captain Aiden Markram making 82 off 49 balls.

Root will play in the majority of the tournament, but will leave for England's 50-over series in India from 6 February.

Saturday's other game saw Joburg Super Kings beat MI Cape Town by six runs on the DLS method after a rain-affected game.

Their chase was stopped twice, with the second time resulting in the end of the game.

Cape Town posted 140-6 with George Linde making 48 not out, and Joburg were 82-3 in the 12th over when the rain arrived.

• SA20 fixtures & table