Durban Super G (Bantam)
Durban, so often criticized as a city that no longer attends big sporting events, turned back the years on Wednesday night, packing out Kingsmead for the second game of SA20.
There were over 12,500 fans watching the Durban Super Giants fall to the Joburg Super Kings, and the stadium shook from start to finish.
The weather also played ball, and the sun was out for the duration of the contest.
The first two matches of this competition have now been well supported with Tuesday’s opener between MI Cape Town and Paarl Royals at Newlands also a success.
With domestic cricket in this country having struggled to attract fans to stadiums for over a decade, developments over the past two days will have been incredibly encouraging for all stakeholders involved in SA20, including Cricket South Africa.
The players are responding too, with Proteas spinner and KwaZulu-Natal stalwart Keshav Maharaj saying after Wednesday’s clash that he had never experienced such excitement in Kingsmead.
“I’ve played here for the last 17 years and that’s probably the best environment I’ve ever experienced,” Maharaj said.
“It was amazing to see this atmosphere, especially on a weekday, and the support from the locals was exceptional.
“A lot of credit must be given to the teams and how they’ve marketed themselves, and the league for creating the dynamism, the glitz and the glamour. I think it can only get better from here.”
The tournament will now move to Gqeberha, where the Eastern Cape Sunrisers will meet at Pretoria Capitals on Wednesday (17:30).
Fans in Kingsmead (Gallo)
Fans in Kingsmead (Gallo)
Fans in Kingsmead (Gallo)
Fans in Kingsmead (Gallo)
