2019 Mzansi Super League
Review/preview 27 November – 8 December
The 2019 Mzansi Super League will wrap up its round robin phase this week, with Paarl Rocks looking likely to secure top spot and an automatic place in the final on 16 December.
The Rocks strengthened their grip on first place with wins over the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants and Jozi Stars in the past week (sandwiching a loss to the Tshwane Spartans). The latter win over the Stars was powered by a superb knock of 63 not out from Sibonelo Makhanya.
“That was a lot of fun. There was a lot of pressure, but these are the knocks you dream of playing as a youngster,” said Makhanya, while his captain Faf du Plessis believes the Paarl team has yet to really hit top gear despite topping the standings.
“I feel we haven’t played to our full potential. We are playing at 70 percent, so there is more in us as a team. Hopefully we can get a bit more out of our next game and peak towards the end,” said the veteran batsman, who will hope to be amongst the runs when the Rocks host Durban Heat on Wednesday in one of eight remaining round robin fixtures.
The final stretch of games in this phase of the competition begins on Tuesday with the Giants hosting the Spartans in Port Elizabeth in a match which could be key in deciding the shape of the eliminator (the teams are tied in second spot with 19 points each).
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Last year’s champions, Jozi Stars, will be hoping to avoid the ignominy of a winless season and will at least play for pride when they face Gauteng rivals the Spartans in Centurion on Thursday, before the weekend’s action gets underway on Friday evening with the Cape Town Blitz hosting the Giants at Newlands.
The final shakedown of the league standings will be decided in dramatic circumstances with a trio of matches across the country on Sunday 8 December. Rocks v Giants at Boland Park and Heat v Stars at Kingsmead will be played in the morning, while the afternoon clash in Tshwane sees the Spartans host the Blitz.
The team finishing top of the log advances into the final, while positions two and three will meet in the eliminator on 13 December.
2019 Mzansi Super League
Results, 27 November – 1 December
Wednesday 27 November
Paarl Rocks (166/7) beat Nelson Mandela Bay Giants (135) by 31 runs
Thursday 28 November
Durban Heat (182/3) beat Cape Town Blitz (181/5) by 7 wickets
Friday 29 November
Tshwane Spartans (127/2) beat Paarl Rocks (126) by 8 wickets
Saturday 30 November
Durban Heat (177/4) beat Nelson Mandela Bay Giants (173/6) by 6 wickets
Sunday 1 December
Paarl Rocks (175/5) beat Jozi Stars (171/3) by 5 wickets
Cape Town Blitz (157/5) beat Tshwane Spartans (142/7) by 15 runs
Fixtures, 3-8 December
Tuesday 3 December
Nelson Mandela Bay Giants v Tshwane Spartans
St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth, 17:30
Wednesday 4 December
Paarl Rocks v Durban Heat
Boland Park, Paarl, 17:30
Thursday 5 December
Tshwane Spartans v Jozi Stars
SuperSport Park, Centurion, 17:30
Friday 6 December
Cape Town Blitz v Nelson Mandela Bay Giants
Newlands, Cape Town, 17:30
Saturday 7 December
Jozi Stars v Durban Heat
Wanderers, Johannesburg, 12:30
Sunday 8 December
Paarl Rocks v Nelson Mandela Bay Giants
Boland Park, Paarl, 10:00
Durban Heat v Jozi Stars
Kingsmead, Durban, 10:00
Tshwane Spartans v Cape Town Blitz
SuperSport Park, Centurion, 14:00
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