SMART SMUTS
Giants kipper happy with MSL
The Mzansi Super League has the potential for some serious growth, according to Nelson Mandela Bay Giants captain Jon-Jon Smuts.
The first two seasons of Cricket SA’s T20 tournament have impressed Smuts not only for its level of competition but also for the talent it has unearthed.
Some believe the future of the tournament is in the balance because there is no title sponsor and it is bleeding financially.
But from an on-field point of view, Smuts is pleased with what he has seen despite the Giants being knocked out in the qualifier against Tshwane Spartans at St George’s Park on Friday night.
“This tournament has shown there is a lot of talent in SA with the number of new faces who have come through,” Smuts said.
“The only disappointment for me this year has been the weather. To have so many games rained out is sad but the cricket has been phenomenal.
“Going into the last round, there were five teams with a chance of making the top three.
“That just shows that the standard of the tournament was really good this year. The number of record run chases around all the grounds was really exciting.”
The Giants will feel shortchanged after a campaign that promised much for the lion’s share of the group stages. They led the standings for long periods and just missed out on hosting a home final.
Instead, they finished second and hosted the Spartans on Friday and could not chase down the required 167 runs to book themselves a spot in the final against Paarl Rocks on Monday.
“At the end of the day, the group stage matches count for nothing when it comes to a knockout game.
“I just said we were outplayed. Pretty simple really. I said the Spartans were really clinical. We fought our way back in with the ball and then the partnership at the back end of it really gave them a fighting chance.
“We were in a good position and I when got out and then Ben Dunk in the space of about six balls, the game had been taken away from us.
“Having to rebuild on that pitch was not going to be easy. You are not going to rebuild at eight-nine an over. It’s more like fives, sixes an over and then the required rate got up very quickly.
“They bowled brilliantly. Morne Morkel with two for 22 was really good and he helped suffocate us in the middle.”
Smuts said the squad combined well off the field and that had it not been for injuries, matters may well have panned out differently.
“We’ve had a really good campaign and the exciting thing for me is that it has not been dominated by one or two individuals.
“We were very unlucky with injuries, we had five or six. So it’s been really sore not to have everyone fit and having to change the side. But the vibe has been great within the team and really well-supported by our PE faithful. It’s been fantastic to play in front of them,” Smuts said.
We were very unlucky