MI Cape Town’s Beuran Hendricks wants his team to “throw the first punch” in the much-anticipated Betway SA20 derbies against Paarl Royals in the Western Cape this weekend.
The two southern heavyweights face off at Newlands tonight before the teams travel back down the N1 for a rematch at Boland Park on Sunday.
MI Cape Town currently hold all the bragging rights in the Cape after claiming the honours in both encounters last season.
However, the Paarl Royals are the only remaining undefeated team in Betway SA20 Season 2 and currently top the table with 13 points after three matches.
MI Cape Town are in fourth place with five points from the same number of matches and will be hoping for a victory over their city rivals in a bid to climb up the ladder.
“It is a very important game for us in the context of the competition. We come off a very tight game against the Sunrisers. We lost by four runs, but it could have gone anyone’s way,” Hendricks said.
“The Cape derby is a fierce but special rivalry between the southern and northern suburbs. This game against Paarl we want to hit the ground running and throw the first punch. It’s a crucial time to get one over the Royals here at Newlands. It’s going to be important for us to build momentum heading to Paarl to play in their conditions.”
Hendricks, who is a true-blue Capetonian, believes his team will be inspired by a sold-out Newlands crowd that is expected under Table Mountain on Friday evening.
“We expect the crowd to bring the energy and be our 12th man,” the left-arm seam bowler said.
Meanwhile, the Royals are in a relaxed mood ahead of the double derby weekend with many of the players taking some time off after their midweek bonus point victory over Joburg Super Kings to sample the picturesque golf courses in the winelands.
But come tonight they will no doubt be switched on, none more so than Royals opener Jos Buttler, who is keen to come up against his England teammates Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran and Olly Stone within the MI Cape Town line-up.
“It is always fun to play against your teammates and get some bragging rights,” Buttler said.
“I am sure they are going to be great games. The tournament so far has been really fun, and well supported and it's great to see so many people in the grounds and enjoying their cricket.
“I am sure the games over the weekend against MI Cape Town will be exactly that and I’m sure it's going to be a great night out there.”
The Cape derby will also see a Betway SA20 first with English umpire Russell Warren set to stand in the match. Warren is part of an umpire exchange programme between Betway SA20, Cricket SA and the England Cricket Board (ECB) and The Hundred.
The match starts at 5.30pm (SAST).
FULL SQUADS FOR NEWLANDS
MI Cape Town: Kieron Pollard (captain), Tom Banton, Chris Benjamin, Dewald Brevis, Sam Curran, Connor Esterhuizen, Beuran Hendricks, Duan Jansen, Thomas Kaber, George Linde, Liam Livingstone, Delano Potgieter, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Grant Roelofsen, Olly Stone, Nuwan Thushara, Rassie van der Dussen, Nealan van Heerden.
Paarl Royals: David Miller (captain), Ferisco Adams, Fabian Allen, Jos Buttler, Keith Dudgeon, Bjorn Fortuin, Evan Jones, Wihan Lubbe, Obed McCoy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Andile Phehlukwayo, Jason Roy, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lorcan Tucker, John Turner, Mitchell van Buuren, Dane Vilas, Codi Yusuf.