Crucial fixture for Badgers against North Cape Heat
The ambition of the Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers to win a trophy this season and to achieve promotion to Division
1 next season will reach its pinnacle this weekend when they take on the Northern Cape Heat on home soil.
The Badgers enter this fixture in the fourth position of the log after they recorded a win, a draw and one defeat in their previous three fixtures. The log positions are:
1. Knights - 69.12 points after 4 matches
2. Limpopo Impalas – 66.28 points after 4 matches
3. Eastern Storm – 59.16 points after 3 matches
4. Garden Route Badgers – 47.42 points after 3 matches
As the scenario currently stands and outright victory for the Badgers is non-negotiable. Jean du Plessis with 493 runs at an average of 123.25 is the top runs scorer in this competition with career best 203. His team mate, Thomas Kaber (21 wickets) at an average of 24.95 is the top wicket taker.
The left-hand opener, Blayde Capell, is also one of the top performers in the competition and has scored the third most runs – 453 runs at an average of 90.6 with a top score of 179 with two centuries and two half centuries.
The Badgers will be without Kaber who was drawn into the SA20 league as part of the MI Cape Town franchise whilst opener Ruan Terblanche is still recovering after ankle surgery. Unfortunately, Kaber will miss the crucial fixture due to his involvement in the SA 20 league. Pheko Moletsane, who also recovered from injury during the first half of the season, has made a welcome return against Limpopo Impala and will now be the front-line spinner on the Oudtshoorn track.
The squad for the weekend is:
Jean du Plessis (captain), Blayde Capell, Matthew Christensen, Khwezi Gumede, Pheko Moletsane, Kelly Smuts, Jhedli van Briesies, Sintu Majiza, Marcello Piedt, Keenan Vieira, Jarred Jardine, Herschel America, Tyrece Karelse, Hanno Kotze, Kyle Jacobs and Liyabona Malife.
The fixture at the Recreation Ground in Oudtshoorn will start tomorrow, Saturday 13 January.