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South Africa all-rounder Marco Jansen becomes the first bowler in SA20 history during Sunrisers Eastern Cape vs Paarl Royals clash.

Marco Jansen, South Africa all-rounder has been in outstanding form for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC) in the ongoing SA20 season. He has now created history by becoming the first bowler to take 50 wickets in the tournament.

Jansen achieved this milestone during SEC’s match against the Paarl Royals at St. George’s Park in Gqeberha.

Jansen’s early impact with the ball

Jansen finished with figures of 2/25 in his four overs, which helped him go past the 50-wicket mark in SA20. The 25-year-old struck early, dismissing Asa Tribe for seven in the fourth over. Just three balls later, he removed Lhuan-dre Pretorius for 11, giving SEC a strong start with the ball.

Most Wickets in SA20 History

With this performance, Jansen now leads the all-time SA20 wicket-takers list:

• Marco Jansen – 51 wickets
• Ottneil Baartman – 46 wickets
• Kagiso Rabada – 34 wickets
• Bjorn Fortuin – 32 wickets
• Eathan Bosch – 32 wickets
• Keshav Maharaj – 30 wickets

Royals recover to clinch victory

Thanks to Jansen’s early breakthroughs, SEC reduced the Royals to 19/2 at one stage. However, the target of 150 proved to be insufficient. A fiery unbeaten 71* from David Miller guided the Paarl Royals to a five-wicket win, with the chase completed with two balls to spare.

Jansen’s SA20 journey so far

This is Jansen’s fourth SA20 season with SEC. He has been part of the franchise since the league began in 2023 and played a key role in SEC winning the title in both 2023 and 2024. He will now be aiming to help the team secure a third championship in the ongoing season.

Apart from his bowling, Jansen has also made useful contributions with the bat. He has scored 514 runs in the tournament so far, including three half-centuries.

In the current SA20 season, Jansen has taken four wickets in three matches. While he has not been at his very best in the early stages, he will be looking to gain momentum and add more wickets as the tournament progresses.

Jansen will next be seen in action when Sunrisers Eastern Cape face the Joburg Super Kings on January 3.