Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

CSA's already very confusing domestic cricket schedule has been made even worse with Covid cancellations.

This internal domestic comp appears to be replacing the 4-Day Franchise Series which was due to be running at this time.

All games are live on FreeSports which I believe most digital providers carry.

In the first game it was a bowlers dream as only 4 batsmen got over 25 and 11 got out in single figures. The most impressive bowler was Titans' Tabraiz Shamsi who gutted the Knights middle order and limited them to 116. Despite being 7-3 at one point - the Titans got to the total in the 17th over.

In the second game it was the spin of the Dolphin's Keshav Maharaj that did for the Cape Cobras chase of 156. He got the top three out in his two spells and ended with figures of 4-15.

This is turning into a tournament for bowlers.

In today's first game Sisanda Magala's 4/37 proved the inspiration for Lions to beat the Warriors by 4 wickets with 4 balls remaining. Magala is one to watch in South African cricket and looked in prime form as he gutted the Warriors batting line up in his second spell of two overs.

The first batsmen to really impress was veteran Pite Van Biljon in the afternoon game. The Knights captain struggled through discomfort to get 72 off 54 balls - taking his team to 144. Despite being the highest thus far in the tournamet, PVB ended up on the losing side as Dolphins chased down the total in 18 overs.

The DOlphins top the table with two wins from two whilst the Knights are at the foot of the table with 2 losses from two.

The Lions will be happy that their second game of the tournament was not rained off as it meant that they could follow up a strong batting performance with a stronger bowling one. After getting 124 in 16 overs, they then produced an all round bowling performance. Three bowlers got two wickets as they ran through the Titans. Beuran Hendricks’ 2-7 from his three overs was the stand out.

The Lions are now in second place with a game in hand whilst the Titans are in third.

George Linde continued to show his pedigree as an emerging South African cricketer today after combining a 20 ball 48* and 4 wickets in Cape Cobras stinging victory against the Warriors. Linde's near-half century helped the Cobras to the highest total of this year's competition of 181 - Warriors have it a good go but finished on 157 ao.

In the afternoon game the Lions beat the Knights to tie with the Dolphins at the top of the table.

This tournament continued to be a bowling friendly competition as we approach the knock out phases....it is also a very tight one. With the first placed team going straight to the final and second and third playing off in an eliminator - there are ramifications for all 6 teams to make the finals.

Warriors, who started the day bottom of the table, finished it fourth with their win over the Titans. Mthiwekhaya Nabe was not in the Warriors line up at the start of the tournament but looked impressive yesterday and got 4-21 today to humble the Titans to 115 in their chase of 157.

The second game of the day was between the two top placed teams and - ostensibly - decided who would make the final. The Lions looked unimpressive as they fell flat on their face in an chase of 151 - eventually ending 41 runs short. Typically it was a bowler - Prenelan Subrayen - who looked the most impressive. His 3 wickets at regular intervals really did peg the Lions back.

Despite Raynard van Tonder's 81* the Knights lost out the to the Warriors. This strengthened the Warriors chance of moving into the play off fixture - whilst knocking the Knights out of the competition. RVT had no support from any of his other batsmen with only two other players making double figures as they end 14 runs off the target.

The Dolphins beat the Titans to formally seal their position in Sunday's final. Despite Lungi Ngidi's 3-20 - the Dolphins got to 151 in their allocated overs. The Titans gave them a run for their money but were always behind the eight ball. If they had won they would have qualified for the play off - however that match, played tomorrow, is now between the Lions and the Warriors.

There was no surprises in the play off game between second placed Lions and third placed Warriors as the higher ranked team made their way to the final tomorrow against the Dolphins.

Despite a spirited start from Wihan Lubbe (52, 38b) the Warriors 141 seemed a little underpowered. This was definitely the case when the Lions did not even have to break sweat to overhaul it with 5 balls remaining.

Befitting the tournament as a whole, it was a bowlers final in Durban today....most specifically Kagiso Rabada as he captained his team to an upset in the marquee game.

His 3-12 in 4 overs helped limit the Dolphins to a very low total of 107-7. If the Lions thought they could win at a canter they were mistaken as they found scoring hard themselves - however clinched it with 5 balls to spare.

Same competition, different time.

Rilee Rossouw is having a jolly old time for the Knights in this competition as he scores back to back half centuries. His 47 ball 67 helped Knights to victory over KwaZulu-Natal Inland today in comfortable fashion and taking his side to the top of Pool B.

Despite two 50+ scores, Rossouw is not the most impressive batter in the tournament; that goes to Zubayr Hamza whose 106 runs vs the Lions was followed up by 62 today to place him atop the run scoring table. Hershell America of South Western Districts has 7 wickets - the highest of any bowler.

Ottniel Baartman bagged his career best best bowling figures and the best figures of the tournament so far as Dolphins defeated the North West in a top of the table clash.

The North West team were limited to a mere 128 thanks to an all round bowling display - before the Dolphins rattled to a win in a mere 15 overs.

This round of fixtures has seen a change at the top of the run scoring table with the Warriors' Matthew Breetzke getting 80 vs Border to overtake Hamza. Hershell America's 7 wickets is still the best of the bowlers.

The second round of the CSA T20 Challenge finished off today.


The two front runners thus far are North West and Western Province with 2 wins from 2 with Boland and the Knights at the mirror end of the table with nul points.

The Warriors Wilhan Lubbe leads the run scoring courtesy of a score of 56 in their victory over the Titans and 69* in their loss to WP yesterday.

There are no fewer than 4 players tied at the top of the wicket taking tally but North West's Johannes Diseko has his at the lowest average of 9.

The next round of games starts on Saturday.

Another round of this tournament has been cometed with some thrilling games over the weekend.

The most thrilling game was Boland's game against the North West that went down to a super over. Chasing 182, the North West looked like they were letting it slip away from them but Dwaine Pretorius' 51 ball 74 got them back on track. With 8 needed in the final over, it went down to (and beyond) the line. A 4 off the final ball brought on the super over. As things go it was a bit of a damp squib. The North West scored a 6 but then lost 2 wickets in succession to bring an end to proceedings. Boland won it in three balls.

Western Province beat the Lions in today's morning match to make it three wins in three to top the table.

The Warriors' Tristan Stubbs is having a decent competition. After scores of 51 and 21 in the first two matches he got 80* against the Dolphins yesterday to put him 26 points clear as the highest run scorer. All rounder Jason Smith has the most wickets with 6 for the Dolphins.

Games continue through the week with third placed Dolphins versus fourth placed Titans the Premier fixture tomorrow.

It's looking pretty likely that we have our 4 semi finalists. Western Province and Titans are dead certs after having won 5 of their six games. Places 3, 4 and 5 are held by Boland, Dolphins and North West who all jave a game in hand. Boland are home and dry and it is just between the latter two who play tomorrow.



Tristan Stubbs is gaining some real traction on this tournament with many cricketing hipster clamouring for his national debut after he has scored 275 St an average of 55. The bowling charts are a bit tighter but Western Province's Junaid Khan has 10 at an average of 11.9 which is more than decent.

SA 20 2023 starting 10 Jan

England Players -

Durban Super Giants - Topley
Joburg Super Kings - Brook Garton Gregory
MI Cape Town - Archer Curran Livingstone Stone
Paarl Royals - Buttler Morgan Roy
Pretoria Capitals - Jacks Rashid Salt
Sunrisers Eastern Cape - Abell Carse Cox Crane Fuller Rossington