CAPE TOWN – Durban’s Super Giants are looking to preserve their unbeaten start to the Betway SA20 Season 2, while Joburg Super Kings will be seeking their first win of the competition at Kingsmead on Monday.
The Super Giants followed up their opening DLS victory over MI Cape Town with another polished performance in a high-scoring clash with Sunrisers Eastern Cape in Gqeberha over the weekend.
The DSG power-packed batting unit have all come out firing from ball one with Mathew Breetzke, JJ Smuts, Nicholas Pooran and Heinrich Klaasen among the runs.
Klaasen is currently striking at an amazing 239.02 with Smuts (197.36), Pooran (182.05) and Breetzke (154.71) not far behind.
It may be an ominous sign for JSK that its only superstar opener, Quinton de Kock, is yet to earn his straps and could be due a big score.
“It’s always good to see the energy on the field from the boys, and even better to see everyone putting their hand up when the opportunity comes. This is a great way to start the tournament,” said Super Giants captain Keshav Maharaj.
JSK, meanwhile, will be hoping for a change in fortunes rather quickly.
Faf du Plessis’s team are on the board with two points after their abandoned match against SEC in Gqeberha, but ran straight into a rampant MI Cape Town opening pair of Rassie van der Dussen and Ryan Rickelton at the Wanderers last Saturday.
The pair posted a record 200-run opening stand which unfortunately, the Super Kings, could not recover from as their innings folded.
JSK coach Stephen Fleming believes his team suffered from a touch of anxiety but will be ready for the next game at Kingsmead.
“There was a little nervousness around the team. We were anxious to start well. We have a lot to work on, but we have a much clearer plan on how we need to shift,” Fleming said.
It is also a return to a happy hunting ground for JSK’s Donovan Ferreira. The big-hitting right-hander announced himself to the Betway SA20 audience in Season 1 with a sparkling 82 not out off 40 balls and 1/28 in the corresponding fixture at Kingsmead last year.
Equally, Ferreira went on to make an impressive Proteas T20I debut at the same venue and is hoping for a repeat performance on Monday evening.
“My debut was against Australia at Kingsmead, and I scored 48. I obviously just try to get my team in a good position,” Ferreira said.
“SA20 is a good platform to start off the new year and to reach my full potential and try to dominate as much as possible.”
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