Joburg Super Kings bowler Lizaad Williams and captain Faf du Plessis celebrate a wicket during their SA20 match against the Pretoria Capitals. Picture: SA20
It is crunch time in the SA20 as the fifth placed Joburg Super Kings face the table topping Durban’s Super Giants in their match-up at the Wanderers on Saturday evening.
It is a must win game for the Super Kings as a loss would knock them out of the contest ahead of the playoffs, while the Super Giants will be under no such pressure having already secured their place in the top two on the log.
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The Super Kings will also want a bit of revenge after losing the first game between the two sides in Durban last month.
Where and what time: Wanderers, first ball 5.30pm
Who’s playing: Joburg Super Kings from Johannesburg and Durban’s Super Giants from Durban
How to watch: SuperSport, channel 201 and 212
JSK: Moeen Ali, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Sam Cook, Faf du Plessis, Leus du Plooy, Donovan Ferreira, Dayyaan Galiem, Reeza Hendricks, Ronan Hermann, Zahir Khan, Wayne Madsen, Sibonelo Makhanya, Aaron Phangiso, Romario Shepherd, Kyle Simmonds, Imran Tahir, David Wiese, Lizaad Williams
Super Giants: Noor Ahmad, Matthew Breetzke, Junior Dala, Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Keshav Maharaj, Kyle Mayers, Wiaan Mulder, Naveed-ul-Haq Murid, Keemo Paul, Nicholas Pooran, Dwaine Pretorius, Jason Smith, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jon-Jon Smuts, Reece Topley, Prenelan Subrayen
For the home team, Leus du Plooy has by far been their best batter this season, sitting seventh on the run scoring charts with 242 runs at an average of 34.57 and a top score of 71. However captain Faf du Plessis seems to be hitting his straps at the right time with unbeaten scores of 25 off 12 balls and 50 off 20 in two of his last three innings.
On the bowling front Lizaad Williams is second on the wicket taking list with 12 scalps at an average of 16.75 and best figures of 4/26, while Imran Tahir has been very tidy in picking up seven wickets and keeping a tight economy rate of just 6.45.
For the in-form table toppers opening batter Matthew Breetzke has been in immense form, sitting second on the run scoring charts with 374 runs at an average of 41.55 and a highest score of 78, while Heinrich Klaasen is the third highest scorer with 310, at an average of 44.28, a highest score of 85 and brutal strike rate of over 200.
The Super Giants best bowlers have been Keshav Maharaj and Reece Topley, who are tied third on the wicket taking list with 11 each, Maharaj at an average of 18.63 and best figures of 2/17, and Topley at 20.90 and best figures of 3/19.
The teams have played each other three times in the competition over the two seasons so far, with the Super Kings winning twice and Super Giants once.
Earlier this season in Durban the hosts batted first and scored a slightly below par 145/8, with Heinrich Klaasen hitting 64 off 41 balls and Lizaad Williams taking 4/26. The Super Kings were limited to 108/9 in reply, with Reeza Hendricks hitting 38 off 32 balls and Reece Topley picking up 3/19, giving DSG a 27-run win.
Last season the Super Kings won the first game in Durban, scoring 190/6 thanks to Donovan Ferreira’s unbeaten 82, before restricting the hosts to 174/5.
In their return match at the Wanderers, the Joburg outfit secured an eight-wicket victory with five balls to spare, with captain Faf du Plessis smashing an unbeaten 113 off 58 balls to chase down the Super Giants target of 179.
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