Betway SA20 Commissioner Graeme Smith expects a “cracking” Qualifier 1 when Sunrisers Eastern Cape face off against Pretoria Capitals at Kingsmead (5:30pm start).
Durban has yet to host a SA20 playoff game, and Smith, having arrived in the city on Wednesday morning, claimed he could feel the excitement building despite local team Durban’s Super Giants failing to qualify for the knockout stage.
“I know Durban’s team haven’t performed this year as well as everyone would like, but I think we heard the shout-outs to bring a playoff game to Durban, and tonight you’ve got two cracking teams to play,” Smith said on East Coast Radio.
The former Proteas captain believes the locals may just get behind the Capitals with Durban legends Keshav Maharaj (captain) and Shaun Pollock (assistant coach) part of the Pretoria side’s setup.
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“We hope to see you there, and I hope you pick your team that you’re going to support, with probably Kesh winning the day, I guess. Shaun Pollock is also in the coaching lineup as well,” he said.
“There’s some quality match winners in that side. I mean, you look at Sherfane Rutherford’s season. I mean, he’s been unbelievable in that middle order.
“I mean, I think he’s striking over 170, averaging over 50 and his power, him and (Dewald) Brevis, the other night saved them single-handedly.
“But there’s a lot of match winners. When you look at Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Brevis, I think what they will need is their bowlers to show up tonight and compete with that top order of Sunrisers.”
The Sunrisers, of course, will be no pushovers. The two-time champions are perennial contenders with vast experience of the playoffs.
They also boast some in-form players like opening batter Quinton de Kock, a fearsome pace attack led by Anrich Nortje and Marco Jansen, and a young and effervescent leader in Tristan Stubbs.
Smith certainly believes they are a well-balanced outfit.
“I think their recruiting and strategy around the auction, certainly going after some top local talent, and then they’ve really matched that well with some brilliant international players.
“I think you look at the top of the order, Bairstow De KoCk, Matthew Breetzke, and then sort of middle order with Stubbs and so on, they’ve got a batting lineup they can perform.
“But, for me, their bowlers have been outstanding this year. Marco Janssen led the way, and Anrich Nortje back bowling rockets. And then they play as a team.
“It’s going to be absolutely amazing, it’s going to be epic.”
