North meets south at Centurion on Monday in a pivotal clash in the quest for a place in the SA20 playoffs.
Both teams will be buoyed by crucial victories over the weekend that have thrown the playoffs race wide open with all six franchises still in contention.
Two-time champions the Sunrisers Eastern Cape suffered a setback at home to Durban’s Super Giants in their bid to become the first side to secure a playoff spot on Sunday, but remain at the summit with 19 points from seven matches.
DSG’s tense two-run victory was critical in the context of the log as it lifted Lance Klusener’s team into fifth position (12 points) and allowed all the chasing teams to close the gap on the Sunrisers with only four points separating them and the fourth-placed Paarl Royals.
HIGHLIGHTS: Sunrisers Eastern Cape vs Durban’s Super Giants
The Capitals are currently third on 15 points, with three league-stage matches remaining, and would surge to the top of the table should they defeat MI Cape Town with a bonus point at Centurion.
They will be relying on their in-form West Indian duo Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford to lead the charge.
“We’re going back home where there’s going to be a bit of pace, a better wicket, but I think what’s important for us is to continue to win those key moments and assess [conditions] very early,” said Rutherford after their win against the Paarl Royals at Boland Park on Saturday.
“We didn’t start the tournament the way we wanted, but as a team we’re finding form at the right time,” added the big-hitting left-hander, who boasts the best average in the competition of 80.50 at a strike-rate of 173.11
HIGHLIGHTS: Paarl Royals vs Pretoria Capitals
MICT have discovered the form that saw them clinch a maiden SA20 crown last season while completing the double over the Joburg Super Kings.
Crucially, their potent opening batsmen, Ryan Rickelton and Rassie van der Dussen, are striking the ball sweetly again, with Rickelton becoming the first batsman in SA20 history to score two centuries after his undefeated 113 at the Wanderers on Saturday evening.
The defending champions’ playoffs aspirations remain in their control – they trail DSG by two points having played a game less – but face the toughest route, with home and away clashes against the Sunrisers to come.
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Rickelton, who is the only batsman to pass 300 runs this season, said MICT’s senior players have taken on the responsibility of fronting up to the challenge.
“We spoke about it just before we played Joburg in Cape Town – we had a seniors meeting and said, ‘You know, we have six games if we want to win this thing and we need Man of the Match [performances] in six matches from the guys in the room.’
“So, we’re trying to take a lot of the load as senior players. We know that if we’re going to win this thing, it has to come from the six, seven of us in that group. And all of us have to put our hands up at various stages now. It is do or die.”
Monday’s match starts at 5:30pm.
Photo: Sportzpics
