Win tickets to Proteas vs Zimbabwe T20 at Buffalo Park
South Africa face Zimbabwe in only the second such match at Buffalo Park in EL
Border cricket are gearing up for an exciting encounter between the Proteas and Zimbabwe when the teams square off in the first match of their T20 International series at Buffalo Park on Tuesday.
The teams will be fresh off the completed one-day series and both teams will be eager to get off to the perfect start.
“It is great that it is the first game of the series,” said Border cricket CEO Thando Booi.
“I don’t think the Proteas will be taking any chances. They will want to set the standard and make sure that they are ahead going into the next game.”
It is set to be just the second international T20 match held at Buffalo Park, which has also hosted one Test and 22 one-day internationals, 18 of which involved the Proteas.
In the only T20 match, the Proteas were thumped by New Zealand by eight wickets thanks to an unbeaten Martin Guptil century, so fans will want to see the Proteas get one in the win column this time round.
“It is fantastic to have an international T20 match here again,” said Booi.
The last international at the ground was the Proteas thumping 200-run win over Bangladesh last October, where they scored their highest score at the ground of 369/6.
“We are hoping to see some good top scores here,” said Booi.
“When I looked at the Zimbabwean team and the games that they have just played recently I believe we will get a good game and some good scores.”
What will also be exciting for Border cricket is that two of their players, Christiaan Jonker and Gihahn Cloete could turn out for the team in the match.
Cloete only recently joined Border this season and made an immediate impact in the Africa Cup T20 competition, so will be well suited for the environment, while Jonker has been at Border for a number of years and has made a big impact since arriving at the union.
“It is very exciting and it is going to go a long way to inspiring local cricketers because it shows that nothing is impossible,” said Booi.
“It is also going to be an advantage for them because they have played here. In Gihahn’s case a couple of times for the Warriors and now in the Africa Cup for Border, while Christiaan knows this ground and the conditions here very well from playing here over the past few years.”
Although the next Proteas match for the ground has not been confirmed yet, Booi said that it would be sooner rather than later and the chances of a major team coming to the city were looking good.
“We are definitely hoping to get another Proteas game here next year. We are working on a plan to get one of the big countries to come and play in East London and we are confident that we have a working formula that will come to fruition,” said Booi.
The Proteas take on Zimbabwe from 6pm next week Tuesday.
It is very exciting and it is going to go a long way to inspiring local cricketers because it shows that nothing is impossible