FINAL FOUR IN CONTENTION FOR SILVERWARE
The Betway SA20 season group matches served up some exhilarating cricket, but the competition is now approaching its peak with the playoffs set to get underway.
Here is everything you need to know about the Betway SA20 season 4 playoffs.
ROUTE TO THE PLAYOFFS
Two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape were the first to lock in a Playoff spot, surging to the top of the Betway SA20 season 4 standings when they eliminated defending champions MI Cape Town at St George’s Park on Sunday.
West Indies big-hitter Sherfane Rutherford has kept Pretoria Capitals’ season together with some swashbuckling innings, but kept his best for the Wanderers last Saturday to propel the Capitals to a top-two finish and a place in Qualifier 1 alongside Sunrisers Eastern Cape.
Paarl Royals were the second team to qualify for the Playoffs, but consecutive defeats in their final two group matches saw them slip down to third and will now be involved in the Eliminator at Centurion on Thursday.
The fourth and final berth came down to Monday night's final group match with Joburg Super Kings involved in a virtual quarterfinal with Paarl Royals.
Defeat for Joburg Super Kings would see Durban’s Super Giants advance. But the injury-hit JSK side stood up from being floored by Capitals in their last game to claim a bonus-point victory over Royals to see them advance to a fourth consecutive playoff spot.
BETWAY SA20 FINAL GROUP STANDINGS
PLAYOFFS STRUCTURE
Sunrisers Eastern Cape topped the standings and will face second-placed Pretoria Capitals in Qualifier 1 at Kingsmead on Wednesday (5:30pm CAT, GMT+2).
The winner will progress directly through to the coveted Betway SA20 season 4 final on Sunday, 25 January at Newlands (4:30pm CAT, GMT+2).
The loser gets another opportunity in Qualifier 2 on Friday, 23 January at the Wanderers against the winner of Thursday’s Eliminator between Paarl Royals (third) and Joburg Super Kings (fourth) at Centurion (5:30pm CAT, GMT+2).
The Qualifier 2 winner will advance to the final where they will face the winner of Qualifier 1 at the Wanderers on Sunday.
PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
Qualifier 1: Sunrisers Eastern Cape v Pretoria Capitals, Kingsmead (Wednesday, January 21, 5:30pm SAST)
Eliminator: Paarl Royals v Joburg Super Kings, Centurion (Thursday, January 22, 5:30pm SAST)
Qualifier 2: Loser of Qualifier 1 v winner of Eliminator, Wanderers (Friday, January 23, 5:30pm SAST)
Final: Winner of Qualifier 1 v winner of Qualifier 2, Newlands (Sunday, January 25, 4:30pm SAST)
*A reserve day on Monday, 26 January is available for the final
TOP PERFORMERS AFTER THE GROUP MATCHES
Leading run-scorer: Ryan Rickelton (337 runs, average: 42.13, HS: 113, SR: 156.02, 100s: 2)
MI Cape Town’s Ryan Rickelton enjoyed another magical season to entrench his position at the top of the League’s all-time Betway SA20 run-scorers list. Rickelton sits atop the leaderboard with 337 runs, which included two magical centuries against Durban’s Super Giants in the S4 opener and Joburg Super Kings at the Wanderers.
Rickelton will, though not involved in the playoffs, and could be overtaken by Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s Quinton de Kock (328 runs at 46.86) and Pretoria Capitals’ Sherfane Rutherford (317 runs at 79.25).
LEADING WICKET-TAKER: OTTNEIL BAARTMAN (17 wickets at 12.53)
A change of team has done nothing to diminish Baartman’s prowess with the Paarl Royals seam bowler also moving to the top of the all-time Betway SA20 wicket-takers list. The former Sunrisers Eastern Cape stalwart has enjoyed a fantastic season, claiming a hat-trick against Pretoria Capitals, which formed part of a magnificent 5/16 at Centurion.
Baartman will have to be on the mark in the Playoffs though with SEC’s Anrich Nortje and his Royals teammate Sikandar Raza (both 14 wickets apiece) chasing him down.
©SA20