Jozi Stars defeat Cape Town Blitz by 8 wickets to win the final of the Mzansi Super League (2018)

[Saj]

An unbeaten half-century by Faf du Plessis helped the Paarl Rocks jump to third on the Mzansi Super League table after they brushed aside the Durban Heat with a clinical nine-wicket victory at Eurolux Boland Park on Sunday.

The home captain smashed a dominant 76 off 48 balls (9 fours) as his side chased down their 155-run victory target at a measured tempo with five balls to spare.

Du Plessis had good support from Aiden Markram (48) and Vaughn van Jaarsveld (28 not out) with their only problem in the chase being an injury sustained by Henry Davids, who had to retire hurt on two with a groin injury.

They eventually finished on 158 for one to complete a commanding victory and one that lifted them up to 13 points on the table, six behind the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants and three ahead of the Jozi Stars – the two sides that meet later on Sunday.

For the Heat, their poor season continued as they remained bottom of the standings with a solitary win from their six games.

Despite having one of the best squads on paper, they have failed to gel as a team thus far and were again found wanting in Paarl, even after winning the toss.

They made the bold move of dropping out-of-form marquee signing Hashim Amla and it looked a good move initially as replacement Sarel Erwee struck 32 off 22 in an opening stand of 65 with Morne van Wyk (33) in seven overs.

But it mainly went south from there as wickets began to tumble regularly.

Standard Bank Proteas David Miller (1) and Heinrich Klaasen (4) again failed, with the Durbanites having to heavily rely on Khaya Zondo’s unbeaten 38, which came from a relatively slow 34 balls.

The one plus for the visitors was the form of Vernon Philander after he shone with 30 off 16 balls, but his side was undone by the control of the home attack, which was well led by the two for 20 from Tabraiz Shamsi’s four overs.

None of their bowlers went for more than nine to the over, with Grant Thomson (1/18), Bjorn Fortuin (1/25) Tshepo Moreki (1/25) and David Wiese (1/33) also collecting a wicket apiece.

It was then the Faf show as the Heat failed to make inroads, with their solitary strike coming from Zimbabwean rookie Brandon Mavuta (1/32).

 

[MenInG]

Media Release:

SECOND SUCCESSIVE HENDRICKS TON HELPS STARS FLATTEN GIANTS

Sunday, 02 December 2018

A second successive century by Reeza Hendricks followed by a clinical bowling display from the Jozi Stars’ bowlers fired them to a record 81-run win over the high-flying Nelson Mandela Bay Giants in their Mzansi Super League encounter in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.

The opener, who struck 104 not out on Friday, went four runs better with a career-best unbeaten 108 off 62 balls (10 fours, 5 sixes) out of a total of 173 for three for the visitors at St George’s Park.

Dwaine Pretorius then led the way with a brilliant three for 17, with Kagiso Rabada quick and tight in his two for eight as the hosts were shot out for 92 in 16.4 overs – the lowest score in the competition thus far and losing by the biggest margin in terms of runs.

It sealed an impressive result for the Johannesburg side, who subsequently picked up a bonus point for their efforts and returned to third place on the log standings, now just four points behind the Giants with a game in hand.

The result was set up by the outstanding Hendricks, who recorded his third Twenty20 century in the process.

He led the way for his side and had little cameos from the other end supporting him after the Stars won the toss and opted to bat first against a home side that had lost just once previously. Ryan Rickelton (21) helped put on 61 for the first wicket, before Rassie van der Dussen (19) added 54 alongside Hendricks for the second wicket.

Dane Vilas (10) supported the centurion until 149, with the strong finish propelling the target to 174.

Aaron Phangiso was the pick of the bowlers with one for 22, with the bowler also topping a woeful batting chart for his side with 17.

The hosts were poor with the bat as Rabada dominated with the ball early. After Beuran Hendricks (2/18) took out Marco Marais (2), the Standard Bank Proteas fast bowler cleaned up Jon-Jon Smuts (10) – the Giants limping to the lowest powerplay score of the competition at 19 for two.

Things only worsened from there as Heino Kuhn (12) and Christiaan Jonker (0) were dismissed from successive balls by Pretorius.

Eddie Leie (2/22) then left the home side in further strife as they fell to 72 for nine, with Phangiso’s late hitting preventing an even bigger loss.

 

[MenInG]

Media Release

The Nelson Mandela Bay Giants are looking forward to the arrival of Jason Roy who joins the team for the latter half of the Mzansi Super League.

Roy is renowned for his blistering stroke play and exciting match-winning performances. He is an English International and Surrey opener of dashing disposition. His maiden ODI ton came in 2016 against Pakistan and he followed that with two centuries in the home series against Sri Lanka in 2017. He followed this with an innings of 180 against Australia at Melbourne in 2018 which is the highest by an England player in the ODI format.

In all, he has made 23 white-ball centuries with four of those having come in domestic T20 tournaments around the world.

Born in Durban, Roy moved to the UK when he was 10 and soon started to move through the system. He made his debut for Surrey at the tender age of 17.

Roy's obvious ability in the shorter formats led to him twice winning T20 contracts in the Bangladesh Premier League. He struck 677 runs at 48.35 apiece - the highest tally in the competition. With his breathtaking power down the ground and penchant for switch-hitting, he will be sure to entertain the crowds in the Mzansi Super League. He has a strike rate just shy of 150 in all T20 cricket, both domestic and international.

 

[MenInG]

Media Release : GAYLE THROWS WEIGHT BEHIND ANOTHER HENDRICKS MZANSI SUPER LEAGUE TON
Monday, 03 December 2018

SUPERSTAR batsman Chris Gayle has thrown his weight behind Reeza Hendricks possibly scoring a third successive Mzansi Super League century in their potentially explosive opening batting partnership for Jozi Stars, ahead of their away clash with Cape Town Blitz at PPC Newlands tomorrow night (7pm start).

Gayle, the West Indian master blaster, is back in the country after playing the opening fixture, with Stars now starting to find crucial tournament momentum with consecutive victories over Durban Heat and the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants aided by special Hendricks back-to-back centuries.

“I’d like to see Hendricks make it three in a row - that would be nice to see. I think he also knows the (PPC Newlands) conditions well,” said Gayle, in the pre-match press conference on Monday.

“You guys keep mentioning my name, but it is Hendricks that you should be wary off. With his form, it takes some pressure off me. If given a chance to play in the match, I am looking forward to opening the batting with him and to hopefully have a good start for the team.

“Reeza is a top international player, who has proved that in the last two matches. He has scored back-to-back hundreds that have helped in putting us in a winning position as team, he has been brilliant and hopefully he can carry on.”

Stars line up against the pace setters Blitz, with the home team aiming at maintaining their fine campaign where a win will almost certainly put them in pole position for a home final on 16 December.

However, the tournament’s leading run scorer, Hendricks, Gayle and a bowling unit led by fast bowler, Kagiso Rabada can potentially upset the apple-cart.

Gayle said: “It is good to be back for Stars who are peaking at the right time and look at getting a good win under our belt against the top guns tomorrow…hopefully, we can continue our winning ways.”

Blitz will also have their returning international marquee player, Dawid Malan, who stood in as captain in the opening three matches of the tournament, giving coach Ashwell Prince a good headache in his selection ahead of the fixture.

However, Malan refused any complacency or talk that the Capetonians might have one foot in the final, saying: “I wouldn’t go that far. Momentum is key, and in the time that I haven’t been here, the team has played very well. It is good being at the top, but it means we are being chased by everyone else. We want to keep momentum for the three remaining games and hopefully get to the final.”

 

[MenInG]

Media Release:

Rashid Khan in to bolster Heat ahead of Giants clash

Durban – The Durban Heat will welcome the arrival of Afghanistan spin magician Rashid Khan for their final four games of the Mzansi Super League starting with a clash with the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants on Wednesday at Kingsmead.

Khan, who was selected as the Heat’s international marquee player, has been taking part in the T10 competition in Dubai and will be a welcome addition to the Heat’s line up as he currently occupies the number one spot on the International T20 bowling rankings.

“There is no doubt that Rashid is going to add fire power to our bowling attack,” coach Grant Morgan said. “I think we have bowled relatively well in this tournament so far so if he comes and adds some more muscle to that it augurs well for us.”

The Heat have found themselves in an outside position when it comes to qualifying for the play-off games and Morgan is not writing off their chances should they manage to get four wins in their next four games.

“We might tweak one or two things to try and get that mojo going but you don’t change your modus operandi or your attention to detail.

“There will not be a lack of preparation and effort from everyone involved and we will go out there and try and win every game.

“You try and take it game by game and win every one that you play in and enjoy it,” Morgan added.

Batting has let the Heat down consistently throughout the tournament and despite scoring 177 against the Jozi Stars in a losing effort there haven’t been enough contributions throughout, or at least one telling contribution.

“It does only take one person to put in a big performance and we have been speaking about it at length.

“Unfortunately we have had a lot of guys making 30s and 40s but not enough above that with only Morné van Wyk scoring a 50 so far for us.

“We are looking for one guy to face 60 or 65 balls and hopefully that will be the catalyst that will help the batting order click,” Morgan added.

The Heat lost to the Giants in their match in Port Elizabeth earlier in the tournament but the high flying Giants lost their last game over the weekend.

Morgan is hoping that his side can also get one over the Eastern Cape franchise.

“We know their unit quite well and credit to them they did play well in PE in our first clash against them.

“This game of T20 cricket is unpredictable and the Giants got done by the Stars in their own back yard on Sunday.

“We owe it to the fans and the people of Durban to get a win and we know that we are more than capable of doing that,” a positive Morgan commented.

The Heat tackle the Giants at Kingsmead on Wednesday with the match starting at 19:00.

Durban Heat Fixtures:
05 Dec 19:00 Durban Heat v Nelson Mandela Giants Kingsmead, Durban
07 Dec 14:00 Durban Heat v Jozi Stars Kingsmead, Durban
09 Dec 15:30 Cape Town Blitz v Durban Heat PPC Newlands, Cape Town
12 Dec 19:00 Tshwane Spartans v Durban Heat SuperSport Park, Centurion

Durban Heat Squad:
Hashim Amla, Rashid Khan, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Kyle Abbott, Keshav Maharaj, Khaya Zondo, Albie Morkel, Marchant de Lange, Vernon Philander, Brandon Mavuta, Temba Bavuma, Morné van Wyk, Okuhle Cele, Sarel Erwee, Tladi Bokako.

 

[shaaik]

Jozi Stars won the toss and elected to bat first againt Cape Town Blitz.

Chris Gayle would be opening the batting for Stars While Asif Ali would be seen in action in 2nd innings.

 

[Last Monetarist]

Hendricks has been in super touch recently. I still don't think he's international standard though.

 

[Abdullah719]

Hendricks has been in super touch recently. I still don't think he's international standard though.

Thoughts on JN Malan?

 

[Last Monetarist]

Thoughts on JN Malan?

He scratched around a bit today, but the lad will be opening the batting for South Africa before long. Looks very accomplished against pace and spin. He's only 22, reckon he would make a great foil for Markram if he continues progressing at the same rate. All this exposure, even if it is T20, can only be good for making the step-up to international cricket.

 

[Saj]

Reeza Hendricks continued his purple patch of form by plundering 79 off 48 balls to set the Jozi Stars on their way to an upset 50-run bonus-point victory over Mzansi Super League leaders the Cape Town Blitz at PPC Newlands on Tuesday.

The competition’s top run-getter entered the clash in Cape Town with back-to-back centuries in his previous two games and his performance, which included six sixes and five fours, helped the visitors amass 196 for four after winning the toss and batting.

The reply by the log leaders held no muscle as they were restricted to 146 all out – Australian all-rounder Daniel Christian the pick of the bowlers with four for 22.

It completed a comfortable win for the Stars and one that saw them leapfrog the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants into second place on the table, five points behind the Blitz.

All the hype heading into the game was regarding the highly-anticipated return of Chris Gayle for the Stars, but the West Indian superstar only managed a low-key six off nine balls on his return to the MSL T20 after missing the past five games due to other commitments.

It was then down to Hendricks as he continued where he left off in the last game to be named Man of the Match for the third game in a row.

He shared in a 120-run MSL record stand with Rassie van der Dussen (42) for the second wicket, a partnership that began slowly before launching in the latter stages.

Christian (22), Pite van Biljon (22 not out) and Dane Vilas (11 not out) then pummelled some late runs as a thrilling 67 came from the final five overs.

That left the home side needing 197 for victory, but they struggled to find their gears. Centurion from the previous game Quinton de Kock ground his way to nine off 15 balls, while Janneman Malan hardly looked his fluent self during his innings-high score of 43 off 37 balls, particularly as the pressure began to build on the scoreboard.

He batted right through until the 16th over when the score was still a moderate 111, while at the other end key wickets like that of Dawid Malan (14) and Farhaan Behardien (14) had fallen.

Christian claimed two in two balls to end any outside hope of the Blitz, with Duanne Olivier doing the same when he was brought into the attack.

The fast bowler ended with three for 38 and Nono Pongolo two for 17 as their side seized a comfortable win.

 

[Abdullah719]

Media Release - Behardien remains positive despite second defeat

Cape Town Blitz endured their second Mzansi Super League defeat on Tuesday night at PPC Newlands against the Jozi Stars, however, captain Farhaan Behardien remains positive about securing a home final on December 16.

The Jozi Stars completely outplayed the Cape Town Blitz, in what was a reversal of their match at Bidvest Wanderers earlier in the competition. Reeza Hendricks' 48-ball 79 set Jozi Stars up to post 196/4 in their allotted overs, while Dan Christian collected 4/22 to secure a bonus-point 50-run victory.

The usually reliable Cape Town Blitz bowling unit was put under pressure in the final 10 overs, conceding 132 runs after restricting their opponents to just 64 in the preceding 10-overs. Despite this, Behardien remained resolute that there is no need to panic.

"We don't want to complicate things too much because we are still top of the log. We have only lost a couple of games but we have won quite a few games. Our bowling has been spot on for six of the eight games, maybe not tonight but that's just the nature of the game," Behardien said.

"It's a ruthless game and sometimes you've just got to take your hiding and accept that the opposition played better on the night," he added.

Behardien was under no illusion that the middle order has yet to fire and believes it will come down to the experienced players putting their hands up.

"We haven't really done well as a middle order unit but when the time comes, hopefully, we can put our hands up and the situation will present itself. Guys like myself, Asif Ali, Muhammad Nawaz - some of the more experienced guys - need to put our hands up and accept responsibility for not contributing as much," he stated.

The Cape Town Blitz hosts Paarl Rocks for the second Cape Derby at PPC Newlands on Friday, December 7 at 19.00. The sides previously met in Paarl where the Cape Town Blitz suffered their first defeat of the campaign as the Paarl Rocks claimed a 5-wicket victory.

 

[MenInG]

Media Release:


SPARTANS HOLD NERVE TO EDGE ROCKS

Wednesday, 05 December 2018

Robbie Frylinck held his nerve to strike two key boundaries early in the final over as the Tshwane Spartans made heavy weather of a low-scoring run chase to overcome the Paarl Rocks by four wickets and stay alive in pursuit of the Mzansi Super League play-offs in Centurion on Wednesday

The burley all-rounder took Dane Paterson to the cleaners with a six and four, followed by a match-winning single, to end on 22 not out – those final runs taking the hosts past their 122-run victory target with three deliveries to spare.

But the chase should have been a far easier one after the home side were handed a solid start by Gihahn Cloete (30) and Andrea Agathangelou (23).

At 63 for one, they looked on course for the bonus point they craved, but were then ripped apart by the brilliant Tabraiz Shamsi, who claimed three for 18.

The spinner first took out Cloete via an excellent Paterson catch, before bamboozling AB de Villiers (8) in the same over after sending down a wide in between.

Shamsi then had England limited-overs skipper Eoin Morgan, playing his first match of the MSLT20, out in his next over leg before wicket for four – the Spartans plummeting to 82 for five.

The scales appeared to be tipped Paarl’s way after that spell, and to the Rocks’ credit they held on until the final over, when Frylinck, as he has done so many time in domestic cricket, cut loose and got the 11 needed for victory in that final over.

Earlier, the hosts themselves produced a strong bowling display to shoot out the visitors in 17.4 overs.

Man of the Match Lutho Sipamla (3/19) and Shaun von Berg (3/27) were key with treble strikes, while Rory Kleinveldt was on the money too with his discipline as he went for only 11 in three overs.

After winning the toss and batting, the visitors were dealt a double blow early on when Aiden Markram edged Sipamla behind for two, followed by the returning Cameron Delport being run out via a direct Morgan hit for one. That left them at 12 for two and they never really recovered from that.

Captain Faf du Plessis top-scored with a swashbuckling 38 of 19 balls, while Dwayne Bravo managed 25 off 14, but everyone else struggled to score as freely.

It proved a costly batting display as the Spartans went on to claim the vital four log points that helped them move to 12 points, one behind the fourth-placed Rocks.

Both remain in the play-off hunt with three matches to play.

 

[shaaik]

Heat hoping for a polished home performance

Durban – The Durban Heat will have one final opportunity at Kingsmead Cricket Stadium to put in a complete T20 performance when they take on the Jozi Stars in the Mzansi Super League on Friday afternoon.

By the Heat’s squad standards it has been a disappointing tournament to date and with their clash with the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants rained out on Wednesday, they would like to give their home fans a strong performance in their last home match of the campaign.

With one more home game to go, Durban Heat batsman David Miller is confident that his side can put together a strong showing for the faithful supporters that have been with the team throughout the campaign.

“Look we have been a long way off the mark the whole competition,” the explosive left-hander said.

“We haven’t fired in a lot areas and we can’t really find an explanation for it.

“It is definitely not through a lack of effort or lack of preparation or not putting in the yards at practice. We have all been pulling our weight but it’s been hugely disappointing so far for us.

“We want to play with a lot of pride over the next three games and finish with four wins out of our ten matches in the competition.”

With an outside chance of getting into the play-off the Heat will have to win their next three games handsomely to keep their semi-final hopes alive and for Miller focusing on the job at hand is going to be the main objective.

“We just need to win our next three games,” he added.

“Whatever that does to the table isn’t anything that we are concerned about and we are just hoping for a full forty overs this Friday.”

The Stars beat the Heat in their first clash at the Wanderers with Reeza Hendricks scoring a hundred in that encounter. Coming to the coast could prove to be a different story for the Highveld side who boast stars like Chris Gayle and Kagiso Rabada.

“They seem to be a side that is starting to peak at the right time which is a good sign for them but we are going to regroup and focus hard on Friday’s match.

“All the teams are strong in this competition and we just want to try and play the best cricket we can on Friday and in our next two games,” Miller stressed.

The Heat will be encouraged by how spinner and international marquee player Rashid Khan performed in his first outing in Durban Heat colours. The Afghanistan sensation bowled three overs, taking one wicket for 19 runs.

Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketpro.co.za and at Kingsmead Stadium.

More information can be found at www.durbanheat.co.za.

Durban Heat Fixtures:
07 Dec 14:00 Durban Heat v Jozi Stars Kingsmead, Durban
09 Dec 15:30 Cape Town Blitz v Durban Heat PPC Newlands, Cape Town
12 Dec 19:00 Tshwane Spartans v Durban Heat SuperSport Park, Centurion
Durban Heat Squad:
Hashim Amla, Rashid Khan, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Kyle Abbott, Keshav Maharaj, Khaya Zondo, Albie Morkel, Marchant de Lange, Vernon Philander, Brandon Mavuta, Temba Bavuma, Morné van Wyk, Okuhle Cele, Sarel Erwee, Tladi Bokako.

 

[Zeeraq]

PRINCE PLANS FOR BLITZ TO PEAK IN WESTERN CAPE DERBY

Wednesday, 05 December 2018

CAPE Town Blitz coach Ashwell Prince believes they have yet to hit peak form ahead of the much-anticipated Western Cape derby against the Paarl Rocks at PPC Newlands on Friday.

The Blitz are currently top of the MSL T20 log with 25 points from eight matches, but have hit a speed wobble of late. After a blazing start to the competition when the Blitz won their opening four matches on the trot, they have only managed one victory in their last four games.

“I honestly feel that we are only operating at 60-70% at the moment. If we play at 80-95% somewhere along the line then that's going to stand us in good stead,” Prince said after a lengthy training session on Thursday

“We haven't peaked yet but obviously people see results and think that we have peaked but if you look at form, it clearly indicates that we haven't peaked yet and I still feel that we have a good couple of performances in the bag and that it will come out soon.”

The Blitz are also keen to avenge their defeat in the maiden Western Cape derby at Eurolux Boland Park after only landing back in Cape Town on the morning of the contest.

“It was a tough challenge playing until 11pm the night before then having to fly the next day and play again - that was tough. We have had a good build-up to the game, so we should be a little bit fresher. We are looking forward to a good game tomorrow,” Prince said.

A victory over their neighbours could also see the Blitz secure the much-coveted home final ahead of Sunday’s final league encounter against the Durban Heat.

“If we win our games, we will end on top but of course you look at the other results. If the teams that are chasing don't win their matches, it makes things a little easier for us but if they do win their matches then we have to go out and do our business,” Prince said.

In contrast, the Paarl Rocks are virtually in a do-or-die situation to progress to the play-offs. The middle of the MSL T20 log is congested with only the Durban Heat ruled out of contention for a play-off spot.

Although the Rocks lost their previous match against the Tshwane Spartans in a low-scoring thriller at SuperSport Park, Standard Bank Proteas spinner Tabraiz Shamsi believes his team are raring to go in the derby on Friday.

“There is no pressure,” Shamsi said. “In fact, I see a lot of positives. It was such a small target and we took a strong batting line-up into the last over. Because the log is so jam-packed, it gives us a confidence booster that we took the game into the last over.”

 

[MenInG]

Press Release:

Durban Heat batsman David Miller is hoping for a strong showing in their final home match of the Mzansi Super League season on Friday.

The KwaZulu-Natal outfit became the first side to be eliminated from the new T20 competition when their clash against the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants was washed out on Wednesday night, leaving them with nothing but pride to play for from their remaining three games.

They have six points from seven games so far.

In truth, it has been a forgettable campaign from the tournament’s bottom side, but they will still be aiming to end on a high against the play-off chasing Jozi Stars at Kingsmead in Durban.

Miller has been one of many batsmen to disappoint for his side, with the likes of Hashim Amla and Heinrich Klaasen also not at their usual best.

“Unfortunately, we just haven’t found our rhythm,” the Standard Bank Proteas star explained. “I think if we go back to the drawing board we’re just going to have to obviously try and improve and finish strongly.

“We want to at least try and play with a lot of pride, try and get four wins out of the 10, which won’t look as bad, so that’s the goal.”

Only one Heat batsman – Morne van Wyk - has made a half-century, with Grant Morgan’s team having to rely on the likes of Khaya Zondo, Albie Morkel and Vernon Philander for most of their other runs.

Looking ahead to the clash against the Jozi Stars, Miller says their focus is on their own game rather than the opposition. “They seem to have started to peak since they beat us in Joburg,” he explained. “But we don’t need to focus on them too much.

“We need to regroup, take one game at a time and try and play the best game of cricket we can for the next three games. All the teams are really strong as we know, so there’s no easy games and we need to be on our best performance.”

The Heat still can have a major impact on the play-offs as they will follow the game with the Stars with trips to leaders the Cape Town Blitz and Tshwane Spartans.

But that has not interested Miller too much.

He added: “We need to win our next three games, so that’s going to be our goal. Whatever that does to the table it will affect certain teams, but that’s out of our control and not something we’re going to be concentrating on.”

Meanwhile, the Stars captain Dane Vilas is pleased that his side is peaking at the right time and hopes for another win that could put them top of the table, for a few hours anyway.

A bonus-point triumph will allow them to leapfrog the Blitz, who face the Paarl Rocks later on Friday.

“I'm very happy with how our guys are playing,” Vilas says. “We've been playing well the whole tournament really. We're very fortunate with the guys we have and look forward to our next game.”

 

[MenInG]

Media Release : JOZI STARS WIN A THRILLER IN DURBAN

Friday, 07 December 2018

Nono Pongolo was the unlikely hero for the Jozi Stars with the bowling all-rounder smashing two sixes in the final over to edge his team over the line by one wicket in a thriller at Kingsmead.

The Stars had made heavy weather of their run chase after earlier dismissing the Durban Heat for just 128. They visitors seemed entirely out of the contest when they were left requiring 12 runs off the final two balls of Marchant de Lange’s last over.

But that is when De Lange lost his radar. The former Standard Bank Proteas seamer delivered two waist high full tosses in succession, with both deliveries called no-ball.

To rub further salt into the Heat’s wounds, Pongolo smashed both balls high into the stands to send his team into a state of delirium.

It was the most unlikely victory after the Stars had been reduced to 58/6 due to some excellent bowling from Rasheed Khan (3/19) and some comical running between the wickets before captain Dane Vilas (43 off 36 balls) and Simon Harmer (25 off 22 balls) resurrected the Stars innings with a 48-run partnership for the seventh wicket.

Earlier, Sarel Erwee (62 off 39 balls) had kept the Heat innings afloat with a half-century. The left-hand opening batsman only had support from his skipper Albie Morkel (29 off 29 balls) as the home team’s struggles with the bat continued.

Standard Bank Proteas seamer Kagiso Rabada was the most impressive bowler for Jozi Stars with the fast bowler closing off the innings with figures of 3/29. There were also two wickets apiece for Duanne Olivier (2/25), Dan Christian (2/25) and Harmer (2/20).

Their good work was almost undone though when Jozi Stars premier run-getters Chris Gayle (5) and Reeza Hendricks (8) failed to get out the blocks, but Pongolo ensured the bowlers’ efforts would not be in vain.

 

[MenInG]

Media Release : SMUTS WANTS WIN OVER SPARTANS TO EASE PRESSURE

Friday, 07 December 2018

Nelson Mandela Bay Giants captain Jon-Jon Smuts is hoping his play-off chasing team can take pressure off themselves by winning their final regular season home game of the Mzansi Super League against the Tshwane Spartans at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

The Eastern Cape franchise are third on the table heading into the game, four points behind the Cape Town Blitz, who could stretch their lead when they play the Paarl Rocks late on Friday.

The Jozi Stars currently second, one point behind the Blitz following their victory over the Durban Heat this afternoon, with the Spartans and Paarl also still gunning for a top three spot.

The hosts will have one more match to play after this when they come up against the Rocks, but Smuts wants that game to be played without too much pressure. “Home games are always important and this next one is at home against the Tshwane Spartans, so that will be massive for us,” the skipper explained. “I said at the start of the competition, if you can do well at home, it will hold you well for the tournament.

“Hopefully we can get a win there and almost take off the pressure from the last game being a must-win one.

“Then we can go out, enjoy the last game and express ourselves. But all the teams will be thinking the same and there will be some upsets coming.”

The Giants did have a big disadvantage in midweek when their match against the struggling basement side Durban Heat was washed out at Kingsmead – meaning they had to share the four points with their opponents.

It means their prospects of ending on top of the table have now been hit. But Smuts says it was all about ending in the top three rather than worrying about whether you would be home or away in the play-offs.

The team that ends top will qualify automatically for the December 16 final, with second hosting third in a Qualifier two days’ before.

“The first thing is you want is to be in the top three to give yourself a chance,” Smuts said. “If you can get a home semi or home final that will be massive.

“But I think if you asked anyone at the start of the competition, they’ll all tell you top three will be great. I think if you give yourself a chance there, in knockout games if someone in your team comes off you can get over the line. That’s what you want.”

For the Spartans to sneak into the play-offs, they need to win all three of their remaining games, possibly even with a bonus point.

AB de Villiers concedes it will be tough, but says they have a score to settle against the Giants, who beat them by seven runs on the Duckworth/Lewis Method the last time they met.

The captain added: "We are up against one of the top sides in the tournament and we have some unfinished business with them after a close defeat last time.”

 

[MenInG]

Media Release : DE KOCK SMASHES 93 TO PUT BLITZ INTO PLAY-OFFS

Friday, 07 December 2018

A brilliant 93 by Quinton de Kock helped the Cape Town Blitz consolidate their lead at the top of the Mzansi Super League table with a comfortable bonus-point win over the Paarl Rocks in their Cape derby at PPC Newlands on Friday.

The Standard Bank Proteas opener smashed three sixes and 12 fours in his 47-ball cameo as the hosts chased down a 145-victory target with 4.3 overs to spare – the result also extracting revenge after the result went the other way at Eurolux Boland Park earlier in the campaign.

The full five-point haul for the Blitz helped secure a play-off spot with one game against the bottom-placed Durban Heat to come on Sunday.

And they were full value for the win after a solid showing with the ball after having lost the toss and being asked to field first.

Dale Steyn was the pick of the bowlers with two for 22, while there were also double-wicket spells from Nandre Burger (2/26) and Malusi Siboto (2/27).

But the Rocks will be kicking themselves after a strong first quarter of the game in which they had progressed to 84 for two in the ninth over.

This thanks to another courageous innings by captain Faf du Plessis, who struck 61 (39 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes).

But things went all wrong during the second half of their innings as the lower order failed miserably and they were kept to 144 for nine.

De Kock and Janneman Malan (26), one of the most consistent performances in the MSLT20, put on a telling 105 for the first wicket in just over 10 overs to knock the stuffing out of the Rocks.

Despite the efforts of Dwayne Bravo (2/18), the damage was already done and Farhaan Behardien (12 not out) comfortably took the home side over the line in 15.3 overs.

The result left Paarl in fourth place and needing to win their remaining two games if they want to have any chance of sneaking into the play-offs.

 

[MenInG]

Media Release : Durban Heat up for return Blitz contest

Durban - The Durban Heat will meet the table-topping Cape Town Blitz in their penultimate Mzansi Super League clash at PPC Newlands on Sunday.

With just two away games left in their campaign and the opportunity to put the cat amongst the semi-final hunting pigeons, motivation levels are high with the Heat squad.

"Obviously the Blitz are the team to beat in the competition and they are log leaders," Albie Morkel said.

"There isn't too much pressure on them with a home final almost sewn up but there are a few teams chasing them and we could do them a favour on Sunday."

It has been a disappointing tournament for the Durban side but they will still push through to the final game of the inaugural edition of the competition.

"We've got a decision to make now. We can either lie down and it can be a very dark end to the campaign, or we can try and win our last two games.

"It will still be a disappointing campaign but we can try and finish with some pride," Morkel added.

The Heat are without the services of Vernon Philander who has a hairline fracture in his left hand, injured in their game against the NMB Giants, and will be out of the remainder of the tournament.

The two sides met in the Heat's first match of the campaign where the Blitz managed to sneak over the line in the final over in Durban.

Durban Heat Fixtures:
09 Dec 15:30 Cape Town Blitz v Durban Heat PPC Newlands, Cape Town
12 Dec 19:00 Tshwane Spartans v Durban Heat SuperSport Park, Centurion

Durban Heat Squad:
Hashim Amla, Rashid Khan, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Kyle Abbott, Keshav Maharaj, Khaya Zondo, Albie Morkel, Marchant de Lange, Vernon Philander, Brandon Mavuta, Temba Bavuma, Morné van Wyk, Okuhle Cele, Sarel Erwee, Tladi Bokako.

 

[Saj]

Gihahn Cloete’s half-century kept the Tshwane Spartans hopes of clinching a playoff spot alive in the Mzansi Super League with a convincing 28-run win over the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants at St George’s Park on Saturday evening.

Cloete struck a solid 65 from 59 balls (5x4, 2x6) which laid the foundation for the Spartans’ 165/4 in their allotted 20 overs. The Standard Proteas T20 left-hander received solid support from Dean Elgar (32 from 21 balls), AB de Villiers (33 from 26 balls) and England captain Eoin Morgan (20 not out from 10 balls).

The Giants’ run-chase started in the worst possible fashion when Morgan’s England teammate, Jason Roy, was dismissed in the first over by Andrew Birch. The home team’s situation became even worse in the following over when Birch had Rudi Second caught by De Villiers to leave the Giants reeling at 8/2.

Giants captain Jon-Jon Smuts (26 of 17 balls) and Ben Duckett attempted a mini-recovery with a 42-run partnership for the third wicket before Smuts was caught-and-bowled by Lutho Sipamla for 26.

That precipitated a collapse that saw the Giants lose their next five wickets for 42 runs, including the run out of Duckett for 47 off 33 balls after a mix-up with Sisanda Magala.

The latter, though, produced an important cameo of 31 of 20 balls (2x4, 2x6) that ultimately denied the Spartans an all-important bonus point, which could be crucial in the eventual outcome of the league table.

Shaun von Berg was the leading wicket-taker for the Spartans with figures of 3/19.

The Spartans now have 16 points from eight matches and are in fourth place with the Giants one place ahead with 21 points. The Giants, though, have played one match more.

 

[MenInG]

Media Release : ROCKS KEEP THEIR HOPES ALIVE; BLITZ THROUGH TO HOME FINAL

Sunday, 09 December 2018

Faf du Plessis struck his fourth half-century of the Mzansi Super League season to keep alive the Paarl Rocks’ hopes of reaching the play-offs with a key six-wicket victory over the Jozi Stars at Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on Sunday.

There was also a perfectly weighted unbeaten 71 (55 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) from Man of the Match Grant Thomson that anchored the innings of the visitors as they chased down a 171-victory target with three deliveries to spare in Johannesburg.

Kerwin Mungroo was their unlikely hero with the ball as the lanky fast bowler grabbed a rare chance in the competition by bowling out of his skin to claim three for 29, which included the key wickets of Chris Gayle, Reeza Hendricks and Pite van Biljon.

Victory in the end for the Paarl side enabled them to climb fourth on the table, with 17 points from nine games, four behind the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants, who they will now host in a virtual shootout on Wednesday.

The Tshwane Stars (16 points) can still catch both, but they will need to also win their remaining two games to change the order on the standings.

Defeat for the second-placed Stars, meanwhile, assured the Cape Town Blitz an automatic ticket to a home final next Sunday, with the Stars staying second on 24 points and still having some work to do in their final match against the Spartans on Tuesday.

The Jozi boys, though, will no doubt be disappointed that they did not seal their play-off berth in front of their home fans, after posting a solid 170 for six after they were put into bat first.

Their innings was built around Rassie van der Dussen’s enterprising 83 (55 balls, 6 fours, 4 sixes). This after Mungroo pegged them back at the start by dismissing Hendricks (5) and West Indian superstar Gayle (9) inside the opening 3.2 overs.

A 73-run stand between Van der Dussen and captain Dane Vilas (23) dragged the home side back into a good position, before more quick wickets threatened to derail their innings.

But support for their main batsman came through Dwaine Pretorius (28) as they set a challenging total.

The Rocks’ innings followed a similar pattern with Duanne Olivier (3/30) claiming the early wickets of Cameron Delport (15) Aiden Markram (3), leaving them on 19 for two.

However, a key 120-run stand between Du Plessis, who made 61 off 34 balls (7 fours, 2 sixes), took them too far ahead for the Stars to bring them back, even after the skipper fell, 17 not out by Dwayne Bravo helping to carry them over the line.

 

[Zeeraq]

Asif Ali scored 18 of 13 balls today.

 

[Zeeraq]

It’s down to the wire stuff in the Mzansi Super League as both the Jozi Stars and Tshwane Spartans look to secure victory in their big derby match at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on Tuesday.

With the hosts losing to the Paarl Rocks on Sunday, the Cape Town Blitz (30 points from 10 games) were confirmed as winners of the league phase of the competition – and with it the right to host the final on Sunday.

Now the focus turns to the chasing pack, with four of the five other teams all still in contention to join the Capetonians in the play-offs.

Victory for the Stars (24 points from nine games) will ensure they end in second place, but the Spartans (16 points from eight games) will be equally desperate as they need to win both remaining games to have any chance of squeezing into the top three.

“We don’t want to leave it up to other teams and we want to make sure we decide for ourselves, so we know exactly what needs to be done against the Spartans,” coach of the Johannesburg side, Enoch Nkwe, said.

“We had an opportunity to do it against Paarl Rocks, but missed out after they played exceptionally well. We pretty much know what needs to be done.

“Fortunately for us it’s a home game and in conditions we understand. We just need to make sure that on the day we play our best cricket. We have to back ourselves and the processes we have in place and also capitalise during those key moments of the game.”

Defeat, though, will put qualification out of their hands. It will also open the door for the visitors as well as the chasing Nelson Mandela Bay Giants (21 points from nine games) and the Rocks (17 points from nine games).

The Spartans need to win both their remaining games – they also face the eliminated Durban Heat on Wednesday – to stand a chance and Nkwe says the tightness of the competition reflects what a quality competition the first-ever MSL T20 has been.

“It was always going to be tough because of the strong squads, which are all so evenly balanced,” he said. “It’s continued to play out that way and we can see now how it’s come down to the wire. It’s now down to four teams competing to play against the Cape Town Blitz in the final and we hope we can cement our place by beating the Spartans.”

The home side have suffered a blow ahead of the game with news that international marquee player Chris Gayle will miss the remainder of the competition as he returns home to West Indies after the passing away of his mother.

“It’s unfortunate, but family comes first for us,” Nkwe added. “We totally respect him and what he has to do. Even though he has not made a lot of runs, he has helped us a lot in the dressing room through the competition.”

The Spartans will also be aiming for a victory in the clash, which is a knock-out for them. “We have to go out there and try and win both games,” captain AB de Villiers stated. “It’s the back end of the competition now and every game will be tough, but we’re ready and looking forward to it.”

 

[MenInG]

Media Release :

ELGAR SAYS SPARTANS ARE READY FOR ‘MUST WIN’ JUKSKEI DERBY
Tuesday, 11 December 2018

Dean Elgar believes the Tshwane Spartans are peaking at the right time in the Mzansi Super League and that they’re capable of continuing their recent good run in a “must-win” match against the Jozi Stars at the Bidvest Wanderers tonight from 19:00.

The path to the play-offs is clear for the Spartans – win both of their remaining matches and they’ll still be playing on Friday when the match to decide who will face the Cape Town Blitz in Sunday’s final at PPC Newlands will take place.

Elgar however is not looking that far ahead, choosing the old sportsman’s mantra of taking things “one game at a time,” starting with tonight’s encounter at the ‘Bullring.’

“We are aware of our position, know we have to put our best foot forward and obviously play extremely positive cricket. We proved in the last week when we got two wins that we are very capable of playing good cricket,” said Elgar.

The Spartans beat the Paarl Rocks at home last Wednesday and then the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants in Port Elizabeth at the weekend to keep alive their play-off hopes. “I believe it showed we are peaking at the right moment in the tournament and that makes us very dangerous, a lot of our players haven’t come off and that’s a positive for us, knowing that we’ve got some serious performances left in the bag.”

Those “serious performances,” need to be produced now, with the ‘must win’ nature of the contest adding to the intrigue and excitement that any kind of derby naturally creates.

“Being a derby adds extra spice to the occasion. There’s normally a good rivalry anyway, playing Jukskei derby, but as a player you also just want to treat it as another game, we know we are up against it.”

Elgar was the star of the previous encounter between the two teams at SuperSport Park when his unbeaten 79 guided the Spartans to a four-wicket victory in the final over. The Spartans did beat the Stars in a pre-tournament warm-up match at the Wanderers, but on that occasion, when AB de Villiers hit 93 off 31 balls, the Stars were without Reeza Hendricks, Dwaine Pretorius and Kagiso Rabada who were all on duty with the Standard Bank Proteas in Australia.

“I’m not too concerned with the opposition, the challenge we know as players is to play better cricket than them, so I’m not worried about them,” Elgar added.

The Spartans had a relaxing day off on Monday after travelling back to the Highveld from Port Elizabeth and Elgar believes the extra day’s break freshened not just bodies but the players’ minds as well.

“The guys are in a good space, extra practice after playing quite a few games on the bounce won’t make much difference and I’m sure the guys are going to be ready for tonight,” said Elgar.

 

[Abdullah719]

Chris Gayle to miss remainder of Mzansi Super League

West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle will no longer be taking part in the Mzansi Super League and will return home to attend his mother’s funeral later this week. Gayle’s mother, Hazel, passed away on November 7 of a reported heart attack.

“Although my mom passed away on the sixth of last month she’s not been laid to rest as other family members were not able to get home and they’re flying in this week,” Gayle said. “It’s not been easy to play cricket when you’ve lost your mom, who you’ve also been close to.”

“Although my mom passed away on the sixth of last month she’s not been laid to rest as other family members were not able to get home and they’re flying in this week,” Gayle said. “It’s not been easy to play cricket when you’ve lost your mom, who you’ve also been close to.”

Gayle played three matches for Jozi Stars, scoring 6, 5 and 9 against Cape Town Blitz, Durban Heats and Paarl Rocks. He earlier skipped the MSL to go play the T10 League in the UAE and returned last week to continue for Stars. Gayle will miss the Stars’ final round game against Tshwane Spartans in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

“I would like to thank Cricket South Africa and the Jozi Stars. It’s always nice to come back and play some cricket here,” Gayle said after the match against Rocks on Sunday.

“I’ve made some great memories and it was a pleasure to be a part of this new T20 league. It is unfortunate that I have to leave. It is not the way I wanted this to end. I have a family matter, and family is my number one priority.”

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...super-league-to-attend-mothers-funeral-776912

 

[MenInG]

Media Release :

Durban – The Durban Heat will be hoping to end the inaugural Mzansi Super League with two wins in a row when they face the Tshwane Spartans at SuperSport Park Centurion on Wednesday evening in their final clash of the competition.

The Durban Heat claimed a convincing six wicket win over table toppers the Cape Town Blitz over the weekend.

There were some standout performances by Morné van Wyk and Khaya Zondo with the bat – performances that have justified Morgan’s approach.

“Sunday was the first time that we actually nailed our batting template – a template that I endorsed," Morgan said.

“The plan was to get one guy through to the 13th over, bat with courage, and then get into the back-end fully loaded.

“Contrary to popular belief, we haven’t been going hell for leather in the powerplay which a lot of people have thought.

“The guys just had to give themselves a chance and then our line-up will perform as well as it looks like on paper,” he added.

Despite the disappointing campaign the Heat have continued to prepare well and have not left a stone unturned from both a batting and bowling perspective.

“The players are trying to execute the plans and from a bowling perspective there have been one or two times that it hasn’t worked but I think they have been courageous and done a good job,” Morgan mentioned.

With one game left to show what they can achieve, coach Morgan and his team’s goals have changed throughout, however Wednesday gives them an opportunity to make a little bit of Durban Heat history.

“Now we just want to keep growing the Durban Heat history page and it would be great to put down that we beat the Spartans twice in our first campaign.

“Let’s try and grow this legacy. It hasn’t been a great start but we know that in the future it can turn at any stage.

“The boys haven’t given up, as we saw on Sunday, and the team is very motivated and excited to finish the competition on a high.”


Durban Heat Fixtures:
12 Dec 19:00 Tshwane Spartans v Durban Heat SuperSport Park, Centurion

Durban Heat Squad:
Hashim Amla, Rashid Khan, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Kyle Abbott, Keshav Maharaj, Khaya Zondo, Albie Morkel, Marchant de Lange, Vernon Philander, Brandon Mavuta, Temba Bavuma, Morné van Wyk, Okuhle Cele, Sarel Erwee, Tladi Bokako.

 

[MenInG]

Media Release :

Paarl Rocks and Nelson Mandela Bay Giants face-off in another pre-play-off clash in the Mzansi Super League on Wednesday with both sides knowing that they have everything at stake at Eurolux Boland Park..

The two are presently placed fourth (17 points) and third (21) respectively on the log standings ahead of their final regular-season clash.

But Tshwane Spartans (16) can pip them both if they win both their remaining games with a bonus point – they play the Jozi Stars (24) later on Tuesday and then the Durban Heat (10) on Wednesday – although that is hardly on the minds of both teams.

If the Stars win their game in Johannesburg, it will mean the Rocks-Giants encounter is a straight shoot-out for third spot, the final qualification spot for the play-offs.

Should the Spartans win, it will leave both of their prospects hinging on what happens in the Tshwane’s side final outing against the Heat at Centurion in the late game on Wednesday.

So, both teams in the Paarl clash are looking to remain focused on the job at hand for them, which is to win the game against each other.

“It’s obviously a knockout game,” says Rocks coach Adrian Birrell. “We need a win to start and then there’s obviously the match on Tuesday evening that will have a bearing on our game.

“But we know the maths and we have to obviously win our game. There’s no chance if we don’t win.”

The Paarl boss wants his players to do what they do best. “First and foremost is to prepare for the match and make sure we’re up for it tomorrow,” he explained. “That’s it. If we pitch up and perform how I know we can, we’ll have every chance of progressing.”

Sizing up the Giants, Birrell believes they are very similar to his Rocks team. “They’re a fantastic team,” he stated. “Like us they’ve blown hot and cold. They’ve had some disappointing losses, so we’re very much in the same boat as them.

“They went out very strong, won their first few matches and got themselves into a good position.

“But now they are struggling for that spot, just like we are. But we are evenly matched, with match-winners on either side, so it’s going to be a fabulous match. Hopefully we come out on the right side of it.”

Meanwhile, Giants captain Jon-Jon Smuts is hoping they can peak at the right time as the knock-out stages loom. “We have not played our best cricket yet, but we’re still in a good position,” he added.

“Rain hasn’t helped us either. But for us, we have to win on Wednesday against Paarl.”

 

[shaaik]

Jozi Stars won the toss and opted to bat against Tshwane Spartans.

Players to watch out for.
Jozi Stars: Reeza Hendricks & Kagiso Rabada.

Tshwane Spartans: AB de Villiers , Eoin Morgan & Jeevan Mendis.

 

[Saj]

A sensational 118-run partnership between Rassie van der Dussen and Dan Christian booked the Jozi Stars a ticket to the Mzansi Super League play-offs with a comfortable 101-run bonus-point victory over the Tshwane Spartans at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on Tuesday.

Both hit half-centuries – the Australian recording the fastest one of the competition from only 18 balls – as the hosts piled on a record score of 239 for three.

Nono Pongolo then produced the best bowling figures of the MSL T20 when he bagged six for 20, also his best career figures, as the Spartans were flattened for 138 in 17.2 overs.

The result means the Stars will now host the Qualifier in Johannesburg on Friday against one of the Paarl Rocks, Nelson Mandela Bay Giants or the Spartans who could all finish on 21 points. The former two meet at Eurolux Boland Park on Wednesday with the Spartans taking on the Durban Heat in the late match on the same day.

In the event of the three all finishing on 21 points, then Spartans will qualify as they won both their matches against the Rocks and both these sides have a greater number of wins than the Giants. The latter can qualify with a straight victory over the Rocks while the Rocks will get through if they win with a bonus point or score a straight win provided the Spartans lose. The Spartans will need to win with a bonus point to reach 21 log points.

League-phase champions Cape Town Blitz await the victors of the play-off for the final at PPC Newlands on Sunday.

On current form, Jozi look like they will take some stopping after they bulldozed their way past the meek Spartans at the Bullring.

Ryan Rickelton (45), Reeza Hendricks (20) and Kagiso Rabada (21), used as a pinch-hitter, laid the platform for their side by getting them to 121 for three in the 13th over.

It was then the Van der Dussen and Christian show, with the pair launching into the Tshwane bowlers.

The former fell four shy of a century after blazing 96 off 44 balls (6 fours, 6 sixes), with the latter dealing only in sixes as he massacred six on his way to 52 off 19 balls.

It allowed Jozi to post the highest total of the competition to date and left their cross-Jukskei rivals needing something special to secure the improbable.

And unlikely it was as Pongolo produced the figures of his life to knock the stuffing out of the Spartans.

Only Gihahn Cloete managed to cross 50 – he hit exactly that number off 40 balls (7 fours) – while there was little else in terms of support.

Captain AB de Villiers fell to Kagiso Rabada via a superb catch by Simon Harmer, deflating any hope his side may have had.

Pongolo kept chipping away at the other end to secure the Stars the biggest win of the competition.

 

[MenInG]

Media Release :

DELPORT MAGIC SECURES PLAY-OFF PLACE FOR PAARL ROCKS


Wednesday, 12 December 2018


A brilliant 84 off 44 balls by Cameron Delport helped Paarl Rocks book the final Mzansi Super League play-off spot with a convincing six-wicket bonus-point win over the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants at Eurolux Boland Park on Wednesday.

The opener blasted five sixes and seven fours in his fiery innings as the hosts chased down a 130-run target inside 16 overs, the period they had to do it in to earn the added point that secured qualification.

The Paarl side, who got to their target in 15.2 overs, will now go on to face the Jozi Stars in the Qualifier at the Bidvest Wanderers on Friday, and they will feel deservedly so, having turned in a clinical all-round display in their final match in front of their home fans.

Delport was the cornerstone of their batting, but it was the bowlers who put in the hard yards earlier by restricting the Giants to 129 for eight.

Dwayne Bravo was the pick of the lot with his three for 22, but almost all of the bowlers shone.

The visitors had won the toss and opted to bat first with captain Jon-Jon Smuts (11) and Jason Roy (22) serving up a decent start by reaching 39 for one in the sixth over.

But Kerwin Mungroo (1/26) and David Wiese (1/19) removed the pair to jolt progress, before Bravo began to chip away.

It was soon 54 for four, and with Tabraiz Shamsi (1/15) also ramping up the pressure, top-scorer Rudi Second had to dig deep with a patient 37 off 41 balls to prevent a total collapse.

The men from Port Elizabeth only crossed 100 in the 17th over, before Chris Morris blasted an unbeaten 27 off 10 balls to give them an outside chance.

They did make a strong case by restricting the hosts to 52 for two at halfway – Faf du Plessis’s prised scalp amongst the men to go – but they needed more wickets, which never came.

Delport then teed off to blast them into the play-offs.

The result in Paarl also means that Wednesday’s late game between the Tshwane Spartans and Durban Heat is now a dead rubber.

 

[Saj]

Albie Morkel’s brilliant unbeaten half-century in front of fans that usually adore him at SuperSport Park helped the visiting Durban Heat stun the local Tshwane Spartans by two wickets in their final Mzansi Super League clash on Wednesday.

Morkel, a regular captain at Centurion over the years, once more wowed the crowd, albeit in different colours, by slamming four fours and five sixes in his 57 not out off 28 balls as the men from KwaZulu-Natal edged a see-saw contest with one ball to spare.

But it was all a little too late as the Heat ended a largely underwhelming inaugural MSL T20 campaign with the wooden spoon. Their opponents finished a spot above them in fifth.

However, the two bottom sides still managed to produce one of the games of the tournament as 188 for six played 189 for eight.

The home side had their skipper AB de Villiers to thank for propelling them to an excellent total on a sluggish pitch after he slammed four sixes and 11 fours in an unbeaten 93 off 52 balls.

The game look signed and sealed when Morkel walked in to bat on 61 for five – the Tshwane side even looking like they would take a bonus point win – following a dismal top-order meltdown by the Heat.

But the captain had other ideas and smashed the bowling all over the park to take Grant Morgan’s side to a sensational win.

It capped a thrilling end to the competition for the Durbanites, who boasted arguably best squad on paper, but battled to find any sort of momentum or rhythm.

The script also appeared to be going according to their season after the Spartans were handed a strong start by Gihahn Cloete (19), Andrea Agathangelou (18) and Sikandar Raza (19) as they reached 40 for none and then 80 for two by the 12th over.

De Villiers shifted gears, and even though it wasn’t his most fluent innings, his 62-run stand with Eoin Morgan (15) brought the impetus to help post a strong 189 victory target.

Sare Erwee (30) was the only one of the top five Heat batsmen to settle, but wickets tumbled aplenty as the away side limped to 21 for four.

Heinrich Klaasen (36) looked to add some respectability to the total, before Morkel and Keshav Maharaj (23 off 13 balls) climbed into the bowling, and even after the departure of the spinner, the damage was done as the veteran all-rounder clinched a memorable win.

 

[MenInG]

Media Release : Handful of Dolphins in MSL T20 play-off mix

Durban – As the Mzansi Super League heads into the play-off phase there are a number of Hollywoodbets Dolphins stars dotted through the remaining three sides in the competition ahead of the grand final in Cape Town on Sunday.

The round robin section of the competition came to an end on Wednesday night with the Durban Heat defeating the Tshwane Spartans in a final over thriller at Centurion, but with no overall influence on the log, eyes were shifting to the Wanderers where the Jozi Stars host the Paarl Rocks on Friday.

The Stars started slowly but heading into the second half of the competition they have become serious title contenders. Led by experienced Dolphins campaigner Dane Vilas the Stars have really come into their own.

Vilas has been consistent with the bat and behind the stumps for the Stars and played a vital knock at Kingsmead recently that saw them claim a crucial victory over the Durban Heat that helped them into second place on the log.

Also in the Stars squad is Calvin Savage. Unfortunately for Savage but fortunately for the Stars their all-rounders Dan Christian, Dwayne Pretorius and Nono Pongolo have been crucial to their efforts so far which has meant he has missed a fair amount of games.

The Paarl Rocks snuck into the play-off via a belligerent half century by former Dolphin Cameron Delport which helped them to a bonus point win over the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants.

Amongst the Dolphins players doing the job for the Rocks are Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Kerwin Mungroo and Eathan Bosch.

Van Jaarsveld played an important part in the batting line up for the majority of the round robin phase of the competition, and will be hoping to break back into the side for their clash on Friday.

Bosch has spent the vast majority of the competition on the side line but contributed in the one game that he was selected for. Against the Jozi Stars he picked up a wicket and scored 17 down the order.

Young Kerwin Mungroo has made himself indispensable for the Rocks. The speedster took three for 29 against the Stars and then followed that up with tidy figures of one for 26 against the Giants.

The Cape Town Blitz started the competition like a house on fire and have maintained a lot of that momentum which has led to them hosting the final of the inaugural Mzansi Super League this Sunday.

Of their squad there are two Hollywoodbets Dolphins players involved.

Sibonbelo Makhanya played in the opening two matches of the competition for the Blitz which saw them beat the Spartans and the Heat.

Andile Phehlukwayo missed out on the first few games on tour with the Proteas but has featured in their last seven games.

He has picked up a few wickets and contributed with the bat, sometimes finding himself batting in the top five.

Phehlukwayo has shown in the past that he is a player for the big occasion and could well feature prominently in their efforts to win the first ever Mzansi Super League.

 

[MenInG]

Media Release - No extra pressure for Prince's Blitz

Cape Town Blitz head coach Ashwell Prince believes there will be no added pressure when his side hosts the inaugural Mzansi Super League Final at PPC Newlands on Sunday, December 16.

The Blitz secured the rights to host the Final by finishing the round-robin phase of the competition at the top of the standings. They will play the winner of the qualifier match between the Jozi Stars and Paarl Rocks.

"I don't think it [hosting the Final] adds more pressure because a final brings its own pressures, whether it's at home or away," he said.

"A lot of them [our players] have played in big finals before, be it for their countries or franchises around the world, so there's a lot of experience coming into the match and obviously we will unpack that just before the game.

"We will make sure that we are able to talk about things that might come up during the game so that everyone can be at ease with playing in a big match like this," he added.

Cape Town Blitz allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo stated that it was fitting that the Mzansi Super League comes to an end at the same venue where it started.

"Playing in a home final is a pressure we like and having the final at PPC Newlands, in front of the Blitz Brigade is unbelievable. This is where the tournament started and for it to end here is really exciting for everyone," he stated.

 

[The Viper]

STARS TO PLAY BLITZ IN FINAL AFTER QUALIFIER WASHED OUT

Friday, 14 December 2018

The Jozi Stars will meet the Cape Town Blitz in the inaugural Mzansi Super League final on Sunday after their qualifier against the Paarl Rocks was abandoned due to rain in Johannesburg on Friday.

With a tight schedule and no reserve day in place, the hosts qualified for the decider at PPC Newlands by virtue of ending above the visitors on the final regular-season table.

Jozi finished second with 29 points, while Paarl ended in third spot on 22 points and now bow out of the competition.

Both teams were expected to go full tilt into the highly-anticipated play-off clash at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium, but never got to play after heavy Highveld showers arrived shortly after the toss took place.

Despite waiting for as long as they could, umpires Allahudien Paleker and Bongani Jele were left little choice by the inclement weather but to call off the game.

Sunday’s finale will begin at 15h30.

 

[MenInG]

Media Release :

CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA (CSA) has congratulated the Jozi Stars on becoming the inaugural champions of the Mzansi Super League. The Stars claimed the title when they beat the Cape Town Blitz by 8 wickets in the Grand Final at PPC Newlands this afternoon in front of more than 11 000 fans.

“Congratulations go not only to the winning team, their players, supports staff, administrators and fans,” commented CSA Chief Executive Thabang Moroe, “but to all the teams for the highly competitive nature of the tournament as well as the high calibre of cricket played throughout the matches.

“The fact that we had to wait until the penultimate league match to find out which two teams would be playing the qualifier match when there was still the possibility of a three-way tie for third place bears adequate testimony to the competitive cricket played.

“There is no doubt that the quality of cricket has compared favourably with similar tournaments played around the world.

“We have also all been excited by the emergence of young players who have gone from being routine provincial or franchise players to genuine contenders for future national selection. Players in this category include Lutho Sipamla, Ryan Rickelton, Janneman Malan, Bjorn Fortuin and Anrich Nortje, to name just a few.

“I would also like to congratulate and thank the management team and the CSA staff for the manner in which the MSL was put together in a highly professional manner at very short notice. Our thanks are also due to our commercial partner, Global Sports Commerce, as well as our various sponsors in the league.

“Our partnership with SABC has taken cricket to a new audience and we are grateful to them as well for their contribution to a successful tournament.

“The MSL has come to stay and we can now look forward to planning and promoting an even better MSL2 in 2019. The MSL is the perfect gateway into our home international summer,” concluded Mr. Moroe.

 

[Plumb]

Did Blitz expected to win the game with Nawaz and Asif in middle ... lol Asif the clean striker failed in some league and expected to win pakistan WC-19

 

[Abdullah719]

The Jozi Stars were crowned inaugural Mzansi Super League champions after a brilliant bowling performance paved the way for an easy eight-wicket win over the disappointing Cape Town Blitz at PPC Newlands on Sunday.

Lead by the outstanding fast bowling trio of Kagiso Rabada (1/16), Duanne Olivier (2/32) and Man of the Match Beuran Hendricks (2/21), the visitors stunned the home batting line-up by restricting them to a sub-par 113/7 on a sluggish pitch in Cape Town.

Dan Christian (1/11) and Simon Harmer (0/14) also excelled, before Rassie van der Dussen – the leading batsman in the competition – struck an unbeaten 55 (54 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) to fittingly lead his side to victory in the inaugural MSL T20 season with 15 deliveries to spare.

For the Blitz, the outstanding team during the league-phase of the season after winning six out of 10 games, it was a disappointing end to a campaign that promised so much.

They had won the toss and opted to bat first in the final, but their batsmen bottled it in front of a sizeable home crowd of nearly 12 000 in the Mother City.

They were rocked in the second over when the in-form Quinton de Kock was dismissed through an excellent catch running back by Reeza Hendricks off Beuran Hendricks for five.

Fellow opener Dawid Malan managed 17, before he too succumbed inside the powerplay overs – chipping Olivier straight to Nono Pongolo at mid-off.

Pakistani duo Mohammad Nawaz (3) and Asif Ali (4) followed in quick succession leaving the Blitz in a big hole at 48 for in the 10th over.

Kyle Verreynne jointly top-scored with 23 before he went.

The wickets of Andile Phehlukwayo (4) and the captain Farhaan Behardien (23) left the hosts staring down the barrel.

They were bolstered towards the death with Ferisco Adams (12) and Dale Steyn (15), at least helping them cross the three-figure mark and giving them a target of 114 to defend.

But that total proved absolutely no match for the Stars and their star batsman Van der Dussen.

For the Blitz to have any chance, they needed a good start and got it too when Ryan Rickelton was cleaned up superbly for six by Dale Steyn (1/20).

But Reeza Hendricks (33) helped Van der Dussen add 86 for the second wicket to knock the stuffing out of the Cape side, with Dane Vilas (4) then accompanying his main man over the line.

Van der Dussen and Olivier added to the Stars triumph by being named leading batsman and bowler of the tournament respectively. Gihahn Cloete of the Tshwane Spartans was named the best fielder while the MVP award went to the Blitz’s Quinton de Kock.

 

[MenInG]

Media Release

Dane Vilas admits that their ability to gel as a group was one of the biggest factors in the Jozi Stars winning the inaugural Mzansi Super League title on Sunday.

The Johannesburg set-up drew the curtain on South Africa’s blockbuster new Twenty20 competition by thumping the Cape Town Blitz by eight wickets in the final at PPC Newlands.

Led by the outstanding fast bowling trio of Kagiso Rabada (1/16), Duanne Olivier (2/32) and Man of the Match Beuran Hendricks (2/21), the visitors stunned the home batting line-up by restricting them to a sub-par 113/7 on a sluggish pitch in Cape Town.

Rassie van der Dussen, the leading run-scorer in the competition, then struck an unbeaten 59 (54 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) to fittingly lead his side to victory with 15 deliveries to spare.

It concluded a wonderful campaign for the Stars, and captain Vilas lauded the unity and understanding that had developed within their squad during the month-long competition, saying it played a vital role in their success.

“I don’t think I could have asked anything more from my team,” he admitted. “They turned it on in the final when it mattered most and won us the title. I have to give credit to the whole team in general, the boys were brilliant.

“It’s difficult in a tournament like this to find a good squad and guys who sort of enjoy each other’s company and really want to be part of something special, but with us everybody from the start wanted that.”

“So, thanks to the management and staff for the role they played in bringing us together, every single one of them played a critical role in our success.

“Even our bus driver was an incredible inspiration for us. We really enjoyed playing together and I think that’s what made our team.”

The Stars, who are coached by Enoch Nkwe, came second in the league phase of the competition behind the Blitz and had to play a Qualifier against the Paarl Rocks to get to the final. That game, though, was abandoned due to rain, putting the eventual champions in the final by virtue of ending higher up on the table compared to the third-placed Rocks.

They then went on to secure the title in emphatic fashion in front of nearly 12,000 fans at the picturesque Newlands.

Vilas hailed the inaugural season as a massive success, saying he only expected the MSL T20 to get bigger and better in the years ahead.

“I don’t know how it’s going to get better from here,” he added. “It was an unbelievable start for Cricket South Africa, the way people warmed to the tournament and the numbers that have watched on TV. I think it’s only going to get better and better.”

Van der Dussen, meanwhile, felt experience was key in their success. The 29-year-old, who ended up scoring 469 runs at a strike-rate of 138.75, was a revelation in the tournament with his booming six-hitting and ability to rattle almost every attack.

He said: “From the start I said that we have so many experienced guys in the team, and I felt that would hold us in good stead.

“I think my feelings were spot on. We showed it throughout the tournament and in the final as well.

“We had such a well-rounded batting line up and in terms of our bowling, I mean we have the best bowler in the world in KG (Kagiso Rabada) and another two top-class pacers (Olivier and Hendricks) to back him up.

“On top of that there was a world-class spinner in Simon (Harmer), so just a superb team and I think that’s why we came out on top.”

Like Vilas, Rabada felt that the camaraderie within the group was key. “It’s been amazing,” he added. “We didn’t have a great start, but when I joined the team it just felt like a good environment. We’ve had a real bond in the team.

“After we had a bit of a tough spell, we decided to really turn it on and give it our best shot. That’s what we’ve done, and it’s come off for us.”