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COASTAL TEAMS LEAD THE BETWAY SA20 RACE AT THE HALFWAY STAGE
Betway SA20 Season 2 has seen some exhilarating cricket during the first half of the competition.
There have been runs, wickets and catches that have taken the audience’s breath away.
Everything has been so incredible that it has gone unnoticed that the halfway stage has creeped up with teams beginning to jostle for playoff positions after five matches.
At this juncture, it is the coastal teams of Paarl Royals, Sunrisers Eastern Cape, Durban’s Super Giants and MI Cape Town that are leading the race ahead of the two Highveld sides Joburg Super Kings and Pretoria Capitals in Season 2.
HOME FORM DRIVING ROYALS CHARGE
The Royals, under new coach Shane Bond, have raced out of the starting blocks with four victories from five matches to top the table with 18 points. They are also the only team to have collected two bonus points.
Their method of success has been simplistic due to their ability to execute a finely-tuned gameplan in their home conditions at Boland Park, while adapting it accordingly when travelling up north.
Their leading individual performers have been fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, who is also the tournament’s highest wicket-taker, with 10 dismissals. Opener Jos Buttler is second on the overall run-scorers table with 223 runs at an average of 55.
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS FINDING THEIR FEET
Defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape have also begun to find their rhythm after having their opening match completely washed out and then losing to Durban’s Super Giants at home.
But they are now firmly back in contention after a hat-trick of victories over MI Cape Town at Newlands, DSG at Kingsmead followed by a bonus-point win over Pretoria Capitals upon their return to Gqeberha on Monday evening.
Young opener Jordan Hermann struck a marvellous maiden T20 century at Newlands, while seamer Ottniel Baartman destroyed the Capitals with figures of 4/12.
DSG AND MICT STRIVING FOR CONSISTENCY
Heinrich Klaasen has been the key factor in Durban's Super Giants' success to date.
Durban's Super Giants were the form team during the early stages with West Indian superstar Nicholas Pooran and English fast bowler Richard Gleeson powering them to three consecutive victories.
But since their departure, Lance Klusener’s side have lost their way a bit with two successive defeats and have slipped down to third place with 13 points.
Plenty is going to rest on Heinrich Klaasen’s broad shoulders if DSG are going to regain their momentum.
MI Cape Town's openers Ryan Rickelton and Rassie van der Dussen have led the run-scoring pack this season, but their team has been less consistent.
MI Cape Town are currently in fourth place on the table with nine points. The power-packed side have certainly been in much better form this season under new coach Robin Peterson and captain Kieron Pollard.
Openers Ryan Rickelton (342 runs) and Rassie van der Dussen (210 runs) have been the standout performers in the competition thus far.
However, they have fallen short in crunch moments and will look to rectify that as the competition heads towards the business end.
HIGHVELD DUO TO DIG DEEP
Faf du Plessis and Wayne Parnell, captain of Joburg Super Kings and Pretoria Capitals, will be eager to lead their teams' to better showings in the second half of the group stage.
Highveld duo Joburg Super Kings and the Pretoria Capitals have managed to collect six and four points respectively and face a major turnaround in fortunes during the second half if they are to attain their playoff positions of last season.
The Super Kings can at least take solace from a morale-boosting derby win over the Capitals at the Wanderers over the weekend.
The Capitals, meanwhile, will need to dig deep and show plenty of character to bounce back after being dismissed for just 52 in their last game against the Sunrisers.
