Paarl Royals spinner Bjorn Fortuin is looking forward to the comforts of home when they meet neighbours MI Cape Town in the second edition of the Betway SA20 Cape Derby at Boland Park on Sunday.
MI Cape Town have reigned supreme in this fixture, claiming the honours in three previous clashes, including Friday evening’s humdinger at Newlands.
But Fortuin believes the conditions at Boland Park will provide an entirely different context
to today’s game and the current Betway SA20 frontrunners will certainly be looking to exploit it.
“I was reminded when I walked in here that we are 3-0 down (against MI Cape Town),” Fortuin chucked.
“But we know it won’t be a high-scoring game (in Paarl). There won’t be as many boundaries. I think that plays into the way we bat.
“It also gives confidence to the guys bowling because there is a set gameplan that we want to follow. It’s proven that it works in the past and we have full confidence that it will work on Sunday.”
Fortuin also did not hide away from the fact that the Royals catching has to improve, especially after they dropped MI Cape Town’s premier run-getter Ryan Rickelton enroute to his match-winning 94 not out.
“We need to improve our fielding, and our game awareness as well. Hopefully we can rectify that on Sunday,” he said.
Furthermore, the Cape Derby is extra special for Fortuin, with the left-arm spinner have grown up a stone’s throw away from Boland Park while attending Paarl Boys High.
“Playing in Paarl is always special for me. There aren’t many guys from Paarl that are based there anymore,” he said.
“Going back and seeing familiar faces brings back memories of when I was sitting on the grass banks. Does bring back a bit of nostalgia that I appreciate. Hopefully we can give them something to make a bit of noise about.”
Meanwhile, the tournament’s leading run-scorer Ryan Rickelton is expecting a hostile atmosphere when MI Cape Town travel down the N1 highway to their countryside neighbours.
“A day-game in Paarl is always going to be tough. It’s going to be hot. The crowd is always abusive to the opposition,” Rickelton chirped.
He has been in prolific form during Season 2. Not only has he accumulated the most runs, but he has also blasted 25 sixes already in just four matches.
The dynamic left-hander is, however, aware that it won’t simply be ‘stand and deliver’ at Boland Park.
“We need to adjust. It’s a bit of a bigger ground,” Rickelton said. “Not sure what we are going to get in terms of the wicket. I’ve seen some low-scoring ones, and some high-scoring ones. It will be about adapting, and accepting that maybe a score of 140-160 will be enough. The emphasis on adaptation.
This match will start at 15h30 (SAST) local time.
FULL SQUADS FOR BOLAND PARK
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.
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.