SAT20 Outright Tips: Time for Cape Town to flex muscles

Ed Hawkins
01 February 2023
2:30 min read

Rashid and Pretoria are going well

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Ed Hawkins nails his colours to the mast ahead of the tournament restarting on Thursday with a 6.6011/2 wager..

Bottom two collide

The SAT20 returns on Thursday with the bottom two teams, Durban Super Giants and MI Cape Town, meeting in Kingsmead. Between them they have as many wins as the runaway leader, Pretoria Capitals.

But this not a convoluted play-off franchise tournament. Whereas in other leagues a finish outside the top two requires a marathon hot streak, the front four go into an old-fashioned style semi-final situation.

And that means it could be time to get with the MI Cape Town outfit. The pre-tournament favourites - rightly so given the squad talent they assembled - have been desperately disappointing. Yet the 6.6011/2 could be considered value.

The break for South Africa's ODI series against England has done them good. They have taken stock and signed another of the world's best performers in the format.

David boost

Tim David, part of the Mumbai Indians franchise already, has arrived to improve their finishing power. David has replaced the injured Liam Livingstone.

It is much needed. Cape Town have looked weak in that slot, using George Linde or Sam Curran as they have struggled to balance the XI. Throughout the match previews we have bemoaned a Linde or Curran at No 5.

The result has been that their much-hyped XI has struggled with the bat. On boundary percentage with the bat, they are struggling to make the top four.

Dewald Brevis finding some form and David could rectify that. They also need to give a player a role and stick to it. There has been far too much chopping and changing as they search for combinations.

Back MI Cape Town to win title

6.6

Bowling power key

Better news is the bowling group. Only Pretoria Capitals (who also top the batting boundary percentage count) have a meaner unit in terms of keeping down the fours and sixes.

How much more game time Jofra Archer gets until the end of the season remains to be seen. It would be fair to reckon that in a semi and final, though, he would play.

With the final scheduled for Johannesburg on an absolute road, it is bowling prowess which could be key.

If you sign up to the notion that even modest teams can bat well on glass (and they do) then the edge is with the team which can work well in the field.

At least the gulf is reduced potentially against Pretoria.

In the short-term, the 6.6011/2 could look good. They really should get past a Durban team which has chronic batting issues having lost Kyle Mayers and Jason Holder. They may also be without Quinton de Kock.

As for Pretoria, they are 3.1085/40. It would take something most unlikely for them not to make the top four. So it could be argued the 3.1085/40 is a price about them winning two knockouts. Their next match is against Cape Town.

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