A RAM Slam T20 Challenge festival awaits the fans of the World Sport Betting Cape Cobras this weekend. They host the matches involving Eurolux Boland Park in Paarl and PPC Newlands in Cape Town, with some of the world’s most pronounced hitters of sixes destined to take centre stage. And a few of the names are local WSB Cape Cobras heroes.
The Cobras clash with the bizhub Highveld Lions at 18:00 on Friday at Eurolux Boland Park in Paarl. On Sunday, the Warriors and the Lions will battle at PPC Newlands at 12:00 and the WSB Cape Cobras and the VKB Knights will follow at 16:00 at the iconic stadium, one of the world’s most popular cricket venues.
Amongst the South Africans who have hit the most sixes in their T20 careers, is AB de Villiers, with 258. Albie Morkel, on 234, is also prominent. Two WSB Cape Cobras feature on the elite list – Richard Levi, with 232 sixes, and JP Duminy, with 177. David Miller, who is set to play for the VKB Knights at Newlands on Sunday, features with 231 sixes.
For Duminy to continue his aerial assaults, he would require a top four that remains steady against the thunderbolts of Kagiso Rabada, Hardus Viljoen and Wiaan Mulder on Friday 24th November.
And in the second match against the Knights on Sunday, the same top four would have to be up for the potential assault of Marchant de Lange.
But it is not the case that the Cobras don’t possess the fire-power to star at Eurolux Boland Park and PPC Newlands. Vernon Philander has captured 31 test wickets at Newlands and is a master in assessing conditions and lengths quickly. Rory Kleinveldt has historically produced lethal performances at Paarl.
For the WSB Cape Cobras, both matches almost shape as must-win clashes, hopefully with bonus points, to come within touching distance of the third placed team, the Lions (with 8 points), on the log.
One of the finest T20 players on the planet right now is Hashim Amla, a man who has improved out of sight and substantial contributions in both games by this match-winner could take the Cobras to victory.
The bowling attack, though, needs to fire with more clinical fielding support as was the case in the first three matches.
Rupert Bailey, curator at Eurolux Boland Park, said strip number three will provide equally free-flowing options to batsmen on Friday as was the case in the One Day International between South Africa and Bangladesh recently.
South Africa smashed 353 for six in the second One Day International against Bangladesh.
“In that game, we saw how good a batsman AB de Villiers is, because he came in and adjusted superbly to conditions.
“The strip for the T20 match will be hard and batting friendly and the team taking first strike would be expected to score 180,” he added.
Evan Flint, curator at PPC Newlands, said the rain the past week has impacted things and there might not be as much pace as up-country. Possibly a par-score would be 160.
“A spinner can put on the breaks in a T20 match at Newlands. It might not turn, but just hold up. It is not always that easy to play through the line,” said Flint.
Tickets for both matches are still on sale on www.ticketpro.co.za and if you get in there early, there’s a #BlackFriday ticket sale taking place on the website today for this weekend’s RAM Slam matches so buy now to get the discount. Terms and conditions apply.
WSB Cape Cobras Squad for Lions clash in Paarl: JP Duminy (c), Hashim Amla, Ferisco Adams, Temba Bavuma, Rory Kleinveldt, Richard Levi, George Linde, Aviwe Mgijima, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Dane Paterson, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Ricardo Vasconcelos, Kyle Verreynne