Rubin Hermann had to sit on the sidelines and watch his younger brother Jordan rip up SA20 for the first two seasons. Instead of moping around feeling sorry for himself, Rubin Hermann knew the only way for him to gain entry into the SA20 was by banging the door down domestically. And that’s exactly what he did by smashing 436 runs at an average of 39.63 for the North West Dragons in the CSA T20 Challenge.
It placed Rubin Hermann fourth on the national run-scorers list even though he played a couple of games less than his contemporaries Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton and Reeza Hendricks. It was almost 100 runs more than Jordan’s 349. Rubin Hermann was now in exalted company and even boasted the highest strike rate of 145.33 for all the batters that had passed 400 runs in the competition.
It did not go unnoticed with Rubin Hermann finally getting his SA20 break when the Paarl Royals picked him up at the auction with the Hermann family now torn between orange and pink. Rubin Hermann made it count by slamming match winning 44 runs in just 22 balls for Paarl Royals vs Durban Super Giants.
A second-wicket partnership of 91 in 76 balls by Rubin Hermann and Lhuan-dre Pretorius took table-toppers Paarl Royals to their fifth consecutive win at home – the first time this has been achieved by any team in the competition – against Durban’s Super Giants at a packed Boland Park in Paarl on Monday night.
Pitch Report and Toss
Pitch Report : It’s a used track so there’s no great improvement. So, the surface is abrasive. The batters need to use the crease as much as they can because nothing is going to come onto the bat, so they have to make their own pace. The spinners bowling 20 overs in an innings in the previous game is crazy. It’s not going to change much. There’s a stiff breeze coming across the ground so that will have an effect on which side of the ground you got to target, reckon Mike Haysman and Shaun Pollock.
Toss : Durban Super Giants skipper Keshav Maharaj won the toss and opted to bat with two changes in the playing XI as JJ Smuts and Bryce Parsons comes in. Paarl Royals skipper David Miller bowling first made change bringing in Kwena Maphaka in the playing XI.
Marcus Stoinis half century and Kane Williamson powers DSG to 143 for 7 in 20 overs
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, the Super Giants’ innings of 143/7 was driven by two overseas players – Kane Williamson and Marcus Stoinis. Earlier, Stoinis struck his first half-century for DSG in this year’s competition to enable the Durban-based franchise to reach a useful 143 for seven after they won the toss and elected to bat first.
The Super Giants lost their way soon after opting to bat first. Openers Quinton de Kock and Brandon King were both snuffed out inside the PowerPlay while Bryce Parsons was dismissed right after it. From 33/3, the Super Giants were carried forward by Marcus Stoinis and Kane Williamson through a 53-run stand off 38 deliveries.

After Quinton de Kock played on in the first over against Bjorn Fortuin, Maphaka immediately made his presence felt when Brandon King played all around a full straight delivery from the left-arm paceman. Bryce Parsons played nicely for his 16 off 14 balls before he attempted to clear the boundary off Dunith Wellalage, holing out at long-on to a good catch from Hermann.
Stoinis added 53 in 38 balls with Kane Williamson for the fourth wicket and 28 in 14 with Mulder for the sixth wicket as DSG recovered from a poor start when they lost their first two wickets for four runs inside the first two overs. Kane Williamson, who came to the wicket with his side in trouble at 4/2 in the second over contributed a composed 45 off 36 balls, while Stoinis, who started slowly, exploded at the back-end of the innings and finished off 55* off 40 balls.

Williamson, batting beautifully, and Stoinis then collaborated in a half-century partnership with the Kiwi striking five fours and a superbly struck off-drive for six off Galiem before he fell victim to Fortuin’s quicker arm ball, bowled off-stump attempting to cut. His 45 in 36 balls was valuable for DSG, but they would have loved to have had him at the wicket for a few more overs.
Bjorn Fortuin broke that with the wicket of Williamson in the 13th over, and four overs later, Heinrich Klaasen was dismissed for a 14-ball 13 by Kwena Maphaka. Stoinis, who scored his maiden SA20 fifty, took on Joe Root at the death to collect 20 runs off an over. Super Giants managed 47 runs off the last five overs to reach 143/7. Bjorn Fortuin again proved to be difficult to get away for the batters, finishing with 2/20 in his 4 overs, while young speedster Kwena Maphaka took 2/22.
After an uncertain start, Stoinis began using his strength and bludgeoned five fours and two sixes in a belligerent unbeaten 55 in 40 balls for the visitors. Once again, however, the Paarl attack was on song with both spin and seam with Maphaka claiming 2-22, including a brilliant return catch to dismiss Heinrich Klaasen, while Fortuin was once again difficult to hit, taking 2-20 in his four overs. Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Wellalage both played their part with a wicket apiece.
Rubin Hermann shines with unbeaten 59*alongside Lhuan-dre Pretorius as Paarl Royals maintain perfect home record with six-wicket win
Off-spinner Subrayen gave his team hopes of defending the score by trapping the leading run-getter of the season – Root – leg before on the first ball of the chase. But Pretorius and Rubin Hermann stitched a 91-run second-wicket stand to put their team back on track. Rubin Hermann went on to score a half-century before falling for a 51-ball 59 in the 13th over.
Chasing 144 for victory, Paarl seemed in control of the match for most of their innings, although opener Root was dismissed off the first ball, leg before sweeping at offspinner Prenelan Subrayen.
Thereafter young sensation Pretorius and Rubin Hermann batted intelligently on the slow, low surface to add 91 off 76 balls for the second wicket. For most of the partnership it was Rubin Hermann who took the bulk of the bowling and dominated the stand, striking 59 in 51 balls (4x4s, 2x6s) and at one stage it looked like Paarl would cruise to victory.

Keshav Maharaj then cleaned up Pretorius in the 15th over to keep the game on knife’s edge as Royals had to continue their chase without skipper David Miller, who left the field during the first innings with a hamstring issue.
But Rubin Hermann was caught at long-on mistiming a slow bouncer from Stoinis, and a hint of doubt entered the minds of the batters when Pretorius (43 off 29 balls) was bowled by Maharaj attempting a reverse sweep. Still, Dinesh Karthik made it seem comfortable with a quick 21 but a tight 19th over from Jon-Jon Smuts meant that six were needed off the final over from Wiaan Mulder.

Three were still needed with two balls left when Galiem clobbered the fifth ball high into the midwicket crowd to release huge celebrations from the crowd.
Dinesh Karthik then stepped up with a quick-fire 21 off 15 that eased the pressure on the Royals, who needed 24 off the last 18 balls. Karthik spearheaded a 10-run Stoinis over and then pulled JJ Smuts for a six in the 19th to narrow the equation before departing in the same over. His mini-assault left Royals just six to get off the last over, which they did on the penultimate ball of the chase. The Royals are the first team to win five out of five home matches in the tournament since its inception in 2023, and they will prove a tough side to beat in the knockouts.
Presentations and Road Ahead
David Miller the winning PR skipper said : Five from five at home – been fantastic support from fans. The local fans really do get behind us. Nice achievement – the guys have been phenomenal, sticking to their plans. Right groin feels a bit tight. So good to see the youngsters coming through. Great to see them getting stuck in and taking teams apart. The left-armer with a loaf of pace (Maphaka) – missed out last game.
But came back well. It is a phenomenal performance from him (Fortuin). He loves the new ball and he’s so skillful. He’s just really clever with the ball. You know what you’re going to get with him. We’ve got a lot of guys in the squad who can adapt accordingly. We’re looking forward to the Wanderers. Really comfortable with where the squad is at.
Keshav Maharaj the losing DSG skipper said : Once again we lost the powerplay from that perspective. Kane and Marco showed their class. Can’t isolate where we went wrong with the ball. I thought we bowled and fielded well. I still felt like we were in the game. Towards the back end, when the wind is pumping more, it does make the total feel short. No chance of qualification but we’ll try to finish as high as we can.
Rubin Hermann Player of the Match for his 59 runs said : Obviously very nice to get a chance in the SA20. Nice to get a chance to put a season together and impress the right people. We compliment each other nicely – we’re both naturally aggressive (on his partnership with Pretorius). If he’s going well, I can feed the strike to him, and same for him. Very very happy to be a part of such a special team. Learn so much. Have got so many calm heads – people like Miller, Root and Karthik.
The crowd at Boland Park get to celebrate another win at home as the Royals extend their lead at the top of the table. Tonight’s result wasn’t achieved in their typical comprehensive style, but they’ll take it. They’ll also be glad that a couple of their middle-order batters were tested and came through for them under pressure.
The target of 144 wasn’t huge, but it was challenging on a sluggish pitch. Initially the Royals seemed to be cruising towards victory when Hermann and Pretorius put on 91 for the second wicket. However, things got tricky when both of them fell in quick succession. But with 24 needed off the last 3 overs, Karthik struck a couple of good hits, and Galiem eventually finished it off with a crushing pull shot in the final over.
The Royals finish with a perfect record at home, something that hasn’t been achieved in this competition before. They’ve also extended their lead at the top of the table. Super Giants, meanwhile, remain at the bottom with just one win in nine matches. One more match left for them before they bow out.