Who to look out for in the
DURBAN HEAT
PERHAPS the strongest squad on paper, the men from Durban will fancy their chances. However, they will be hit hard by unavailability in the early weeks of the tournament. Superstar Rashid Khan has other commitments until December. That will leave the bowling responsibilities to Kyle Abbott. With the bat, there is plenty of power on the Heat card, but look no further than Hashim Amla. If he finds his old Kingsmead touch, the Heat may catch alight. As for the young player, Brandon Mavuta of Zimbabwe could get a lot of game time while Khan is away. JOZI STARS
THE men from the Bullring are full of entertainers. Packed with current and ex-lions players, there will be much familiarity around the park. There is no such thing as a dull game at the Bullring, and their top billing names emphasise that. Chris Gayle may be long in the tooth, but still got plenty to give. With ball, Kagiso Rabada is an obvious drawcard, but watch out for the slow bowlers Eddie Leie and Simon Harmer. Rookie Sinethemba Qeshile, a promising keeper who’s hand with the bat. Dane Vilas doesn’t mind being in the field these days, so Qeshile is a useful asset. PAARL ROCKS
PAARL’S money men made shrewd acquisitions in the draft, and they possess plenty of experience. Underestimate them at your peril, as they have a clutch of international T20 hired guns at their disposal. Their batsman to look out for, however, is someone from closer to home. Vaughn van Jaarsveld has run into serious form, and the freedom of white-ball cricket may see him run riot. In a similar vein,
Dane Paterson is in the midst of a resurgence with ball in hand. In the rookie department, Kerwin Mungroo can surprise with his turn of pace. CAPE TOWN BLITZ
THE men from Cape Town have been hampered by injuries, but still have an embarrassment of riches. Like the Cobras, there are Malans all over the place, and they will be expected to mine a rich haul of runs. However, the batsman to keep an eye on is skipper Farhaan Behardien, still one of SA’S most consistent finishers. This slugfest may just be the kind of platform for him to serve up a timely reminder of his skills. With the ball, Anrich Nortje has led the Warriors pace pack with menace. Until Dale Steyn arrives he will be the thunderbolt for the Blitz.