MI Cape Town v Sunrisers Eastern Cape SAT20 Final Tips: Cape Town primed for glory

MI Cape Town v Sunrisers Eastern Cape
Saturday 8 February, 15:30
TV: live on Sky Sports

MI Cape Town v Sunrisers Eastern Cape team news

MI Cape Town are in their first final having lost only twice all season. They thumped Paarl in the qualifier with a bristling display of power. Yet they do love a change-up. Afghan Sediqullah Atal came into the middle order meaning the excellent Reeza Hendricks was unused. Atal got a duck. Colin Ingram and Azmatullah Omarzai were out of favour. Ingram may come back in. They are settled with the ball with Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult and Rashid Khan an attack which wins games on their own.

Possible MI Cape Town XI: van der Dussen, Rickleton, Hendricks, Ingram, Brevis, Linde, C Bosch, Potgieter,  Rashid Khan, Boult, Rabada

Sunrisers have an injury worry over key pacer Ottniel Baartman, who limped off in the success over Paarl in the final qualifier on Thursday. Baartman will leave a significant hole. One from Beyers Swanepoel or Andile Simeland, the all-rounders, could come in.  If they're happy with Aiden Markram bowling a full quota thy could risk five bowlers plus the part-time tweak of Tristan Stubbs, who is yet to bowl in the comp, for an extra batter. Zak Crawley, dropped AFTER a horror run, could get a reprieve. 

Possible Sunrisers XI: De Zorzi, Bedingham, J Hermann, Markram, Abell, Stubbs, Jansen, Swanepoel, C Overton, Dawson, Gleeson

MI Cape Town v Sunrisers Eastern Cape pitch report

Both MICT and Sunrisers have been beaten at Jo'burg this season with their batting flopping. Sunrisers' 118 against the Super Kings was worse than MICT's 140, though. They both lost trying to defend in day-nights. That is consistent with a small bowl-first trend with 12 wins from the last 21. There is a gap of 0.2 on runrate in favour of the side batting first at 8.40. The latter is a good marker for the par line if MICT bat first. A buy could be possible at 168.5. They scored at 8.7 and 10 in their two head-to-heads. No rain is forecast.

MI Cape Town v Sunrisers Eastern Cape match prediction

Sunrisers were our pre-season pick for glory at 9/25.50. After three successive defeat in their first outings we had already scrubbed the point stake from the ledger. And although they have hit their straps to look like the team which won the first two titles, it is hard not to think the run comes to an end here.

Cape Town are probably the best team they have faced in three iterations With a run rate of 9.4 and bowling economy of just 6.9, MICT are a rare franchise that can do it all. That bowling unit is what really appeals, particularly against a Sunrisers batting line-up which, frankly, has flattered to deceive.

Tony de Zorzi and David Bedingham are triers up top but they are searching to find their methods to make it in the format. That's no good against the best. Cape Town really should get the job done just like they did when handing SEC a 97-run beating in the opener and then a ten-wicket hammering later on. 

MI Cape Town v Sunrisers Eastern Cape player bets

Sunrisers have been bowled out for 107 and 77 against MICT this season so it is fair to consider that a low-scoring top-bat winner is in the offing. We immediately consider prices lower down the order, then. Marco Jansen stands out at 14/115.00. Likewise Liam Dawson at 33/134.00 and fellow all-roudner Simelane at 35/136.00. For MICT, Reeza Hendricks is a regular winner and deserves more respect at 4/15.00. To ten-pound level stakes over the last two years betting him at that price would have profits through the roof. 

Now read more Cricket tips and previews here!