CSA Provincial T20 Knock Out: Semi-Finals Predictions

Eight teams have qualified for the quarterfinals of the CSA Provincial T20 Knockout Competition. Ongama Gcwabe previews and predicts teams to progress to the semi-finals for Bet Central.

CSA Provincial T20 Knock Out: Players to Watch

Twenty four matches have been played featuring 15 provincial teams and an Under-19 side in the first round of the CSA Provincial T20 Knock Out. The competition has played a major role in unearthing talent and potential that was hidden from the country and the world.

South Western Districts, Western Province Blitz, Knights, Titans, Warriors, Rocks, Dolphins and North West Dragons have secured spots in the quarterfinals.

Quarterfinals Fixtures

South Western Districts v Titans
Knights v Western Province Blitz
Warriors v Dolphins
Rocks v North West Dragons

All matches will be played at The Oval in Kimberley between 19th and 20th October.

Semi-Finals Predictions

Titans

First up, the Pretoria based Titans will be up against SWD, which is the only Division Two team to qualify for the quarters. This team is more or less the Real Madrid in the Champions League kind of team when it comes to big competitions. They always find form in big competitions.

As one of the most successful teams in the country, if not the most successful, the Titans have all the ingredients needed to get past SWD which is a team with nothing to lose in a big competition.

Led by Dean Elgar, boosted by a potential return of some big names, which may include Theinus de Bruyn, the Titans will be hard to beat come the 19th of October.

Knights

This is the most dangerous team in the competition for me, by far. They have a great balance of experienced cricketers and youngsters with the potential to go all the way.

World Cup-winning coach, Allan Donald, seems to have found a great combination to win this competition. Up against a strong Western Province side, it will be no easy task to progress through to the semis.

Boosted by hometown hero Rilee Rossouw, and the addition of experienced Fahaarn Behardien, the Knights have an edge over the Blitz. Top that up with Proteas batters Jacques Snyman and Pite van Biljon, the margin is even more visible between the Cape side and the orange army of the Free State.

Warriors

The Warriors have produced the most exciting brand of cricket in the competition so far. In the eight teams listed above, the Warriors are the only team to have crossed the 200 run-mark in an innings, they did it twice in consecutive games.

Three of their batters, namely Matthew Breetzke, Jon-Jon Smuts and Wihan Lubbe, feature in the top 10 of most runs scored in the competition so far. This is a feat that symbolizes dominance from Warriors’ batters.

Coach Robin Peterson has depth in the squad that he is yet to explore having played the same eleven players in the first round of the competition. Batter Eddie Moore, spinner Tsepo Ndwandwa, all-rounder Alindile Mhletywa have yet to feature in the competition.

Going head-to-head with the Dolphins for a spot in the semi-finals, I don’t see the men from Gqeberha falling short…

Rocks

Adrian Birel’s Rocks team have been good to watch in the first round. They have shown just how destructive they can be with both bat and ball. Individual brilliance from Clyde Fortuin and Christiaan Jonker has been instrumental to the Rocks’ dominance in Pool D encounters last week.

The Malan brothers are yet to kick on in the competition but once they do, they will be a nightmare for the Dragons. The potential inclusion of Hardus Viljoen, who is a well-travelled T20 cricketer, for the quarterfinals will add finishing touches to an already flourishing bowling attack. Going up against the Dragons, the Rocks have the upper hand.