Plenty at stake in the Eliminator

Not everyone will like the fact that the teams finishing third and fourth in a six-team competition get a chance to play for a place in the final, but that’s what’s at stake for the Paarl Royals and Joburg Super Kings in their SA20 Eliminator at the Wanderers this evening.

The Royals finished the league phase of the competition in third place with 22 points from five wins from their 10 games, while the Super Kings finished fourth with 17 points and three wins.

The winner of this clash will go on to play in tomorrow night’s second qualifier, with the winner of that game progressing to the final.

The loser of the Wanderers’ Eliminator will be out of the competition, so it’s a straight knockout game in Joburg.

But while the Super Kings will feel they’re somewhat lucky to have another bite at the cherry after finishing a lowly fourth in the standings, they go into the Eliminator with confidence – and they’re on home soil, with the venue determined before the start of the competition.

In their last league game at the Wanderers last Saturday they chased down 204 to win against Durban’s Super Giants, with Faf du Plessis making 57, Leus du Plooy making 57 and Wayne Madsen making 44. Donovan Ferreira also looked to be in good nick, hitting the winning runs.

Lizaad Williams, with 3/47, is also the competition’s leading wicket-taker (15) and will look to continue his good form against the Royals.

The visitors, who comfortably beat JSK in their two league games this season – by five wickets and an over to spare and by seven wickets with more than five overs to spare – will bank on the big-hitting of Jos Buttler (second on the run-scorers list this season), Jason Roy, Mitchell van Buuren and David Miller.

Lungi Ngidi, also among the leading wicket-takers this season, will be the go-to man for the Royals in their bowling department.