Reeza Hendricks again produced a Man of the Match performance as the Jozi Stars outclassed Cape Town Blitz by 50 runs in their Mzansi Super League match at Newlands on Tuesday night.
Opening the batting in Cape Town against the log leaders with West Indian great Chris Gayle, it was Hendricks that once again stole the show with a superb 79 off 48 balls.
He klapped six sixes and five fours before eventually out caught by Quinton de Kock at long on off Malusi Siboto.
But the damage was done as the Stars posted 196/4 in their 20 overs.
Hendricks would have been disappointed not to become the first player to score three T20 centuries in a row after also getting tons in their last two matches against NMB Giants and Durban Heat.
Of his form, Hendricks says: “It’s a purple patch that I’m going through at the moment.
“I’m grateful for what is happening at the moment.”
Hendricks, though, doesn’t think his form will have any influence on Proteas coach Ottis Gibson’s selection for next year’s World Cup.
He explains: “I’d love to think that it has some impact towards it, but it is a different format.
“I’m just taking it as it comes. The World Cup is still a while away, so hopefully I can keep scoring runs.”
While Hendricks was firing on all cylinders, the Blitz batsmen failed to spark the Cape crowd to life.
Their big gun, Quinton de Kock, struggled to make any impact on the match and lost his wicket for just nine.
The impressive Janneman Malan tried his best to get his side back into the game with his knock of 43, but the target was just too much for Blitz to get as they were bowled out for 146.
Dan Christian (4/22) and Duanne Olivier (3/38) were the destroyers-in-chief for the Stars.