Feast of fast cricket ahead
2008-03-24 15:43
Johannesburg - Cricket's most exciting format is about to take South Africa by storm once again with the month-long Standard Bank Pro20 series poised to get underway on Tuesday.
The thrilling tournament features SA's six franchise teams - the Highveld Lions, the Warriors, the Diamond Eagles, the Dolphins, the Cape Cobras and the Titans - who, along with Zimbabwe will battle it out for the R500 :000 winner's prize.
In the opening match at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth, Zimbabwe will face a fired up Warriors team, who will be looking to erase the memories of losing last week's MTN Domestic Championship final to the Titans at SuperSport Park.
The Warriors will be at full strength with the likes of this year's leading List A wicket-taker Rusty Theron, left-arm spinner Robin Peterson, fellow spinner Johan Botha and the opening pair of Sinethemba Mjekula and Lonwabo Tsotsobe.
Zimbabwe are a force to be reckoned with at home but are poor travellers. They need to start well in this competition because no matches will be played in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe have players like wicketkeeper/batsman, Tantenda Taibu, fast bowler, Elton Chigumbura and captain, Prosper Utseya, to turn things around for them.
Cobras were dealt a severe blow
Wednesday's matches will see the Cape Cobras at home to the Dolphins. The Cobras were dealt a severe blow by the rainy weather last week which prevented them from defending their MTN Championship title but they have enough firepower to upset the Dolphins.
Proteas batsman, Herschelle Gibbs' form will be key in this campaign along with all-rounders Rory Kleinveldt and Vernon Philander. In their own backyard, Newlands, the Cape Cobras are sure to be a handful.
Left-arm opening bowler, Yusuf Abdullah, Johan Louw and versatile wicketkeeper/leg spinner, Daryn Smit are important competitors in the Dolphins line-up.
The second match of the day will be in Bloemfontein where the Diamond Eagles will host Zimbabwe, who will be playing their second match in two days.
They will be out to beat the Central Franchise side for the second time this season. However, with Boeta Dippenaar and Jacques Rudolph at their disposal, the Diamond Eagles will be hard to beat, especially at home.
- SAPA