Crucial fixture for Badgers against 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 the rubicon this weekend when they take on the Northern Cape Heat on home soil.
The Badgers will enter this fixture in the 4th position on the log after they recorded a win, a draw and one defeat in their three fixtures.
The fixture at the Recreation Ground in Oudtshoorn will start on Saturday 13 January. The log position is: Knights - 69.12 points after 4 matches Limpopo Impalas – 66.28 points after 4 matches Eastern Storm – 59.16 points after 3 matches Garden Route Badgers – 47.42 points after 3 matches
As the scenario currently stands, an outright victory for the Badgers is nonnegotiable. Jean du Plessis with 493 runs at an average of 123.25 is the top run scorer in this competition with a career best of 203 runs.
His team mate, Thomas Kaber (21 wickets) at an average of 24.95, is the top wickettaker. 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 Impalas 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
Liyabona Malif