The home side need to recover from defeat at the hands of the Cape Town Blitz, while the visiting Spartans can build on victory over Paarl Rocks.

Durban Heat

The Heat were right on track for a big total against the Blitz before a telling over from fast bowler Anrich Nortje – and Morne van Wyk and the rest of the top- through middle-order have to avoid a similar collapse. Opportunity knocks to get Heinrich Klaasen straight into the XI since his return from Australia, but at whose expense? Perhaps nobody, as Temba Bavuma and Khaya Zondo retain their middle-order berths. They must squeeze David Miller in somewhere, though.

Tshwane Spartans

Sunday’s win over the Rocks corrected, in part, the wrongs of Friday’s defeat to the Blitz, but the Spartans will need a far more convincing performance to undo the Durban outfit. All eyes, as usual, will be on AB de Villiers in a batting order otherwise lined with the talented Rilee Rossouw, Gihahn Cloete, Theunis de Bruyn and other. They don’t want to be labelled a one-dimensional batting unit, though, and a bowling attack serviced by heavyweights Robbie Fylinck and Rory Kleinveldt need to deliver on cue.

Kingsmead’s precious few faithful

Here’s another chance for Kingsmead to get the right numbers through the turnstiles. The Durban venue has become infamous for small crowds and a midweek afternoon match, when fans will be at work or can stay at home and watch on free-to-air SABC3, will test resolve.

Prediction

Durban have home ground advantage, if that counts for anything at the moment, and boast an XI evidently more balanced than the opposition. They should take this one, relatively comfortably.

Where to next

The Heat will head to Port Elizabeth to face the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants in St George’s Park’s first match of the tournament on Friday. Sunday will see the Spartans clash with the Giants, too, at SuperSport Park in Centurion.