NEW DELHI: Pretoria Capitals produced a commanding all-round display to outclass MI Cape Town by 53 runs and move to the top of the SA20 points table.

The bonus-point win lifted Pretoria Capitals to 20 points, pushing Sunrisers Eastern Cape (19 points) down to second place.

MI Cape Town’s hopes of reaching the playoffs, meanwhile, are now hanging by a thread with just two matches left, both against Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

A packed Monday night crowd roared the home side on as Sherfane Rutherford (53 off 27 balls; 3x4, 5x6) powered the Capitals to 185/6 with his maiden SA20 half-century.

That effort was then backed up by Gideon Peters, who ripped through MI Cape Town’s middle order with a double-wicket maiden, limiting the defending champions to 132/7 in reply.

Peters (3/32) was well supported by some jaw-dropping catching from Dewald Brevis in the deep.

Brevis’ first stunner saw him sprint along the boundary before completing the catch right in front of the grass banks, before following it up two balls later with a full-stretch forward dive to pull off another sensational grab just inches above the turf.

MI Cape Town lost four wickets for only 11 runs in a chaotic phase that saw them slide from 46/2 to 55/6. There was no way back after that collapse, despite Reeza Hendricks (68 not out, 50 balls, 4x4, 4x6) battling on with a lone hand.

MI Cape Town had controlled the opening exchanges before Rutherford arrived at the crease with the Capitals in some trouble at 89/4 and 7.1 overs still to be bowled.

By the time he was dismissed off the final delivery, caught at long-on, the West Indies big-hitter had already done the damage.

MI Cape Town’s catching and death bowling came apart during that stretch, with both Rutherford and fellow dasher Brevis put down off consecutive Corbin Bosch deliveries.

The aggressive duo made the visitors pay, hammering 69 runs off just 34 balls in a blazing fifth-wicket stand.

Brevis then took on MI Cape Town spearhead Kagiso Rabada, smashing back-to-back sixes. The first was a no-look flick over fine leg, followed by a one-handed swipe over the cover fence off a length ball.

Rutherford, for his part, went after Trent Boult, cashing in on three overpitched deliveries in a single over that went for 16 runs, including two sixes and a boundary.

The Capitals can now approach their remaining fixtures — against Paarl Royals at home and Joburg Super Kings away at the Wanderers — brimming with confidence.

(With PTI Inputs)