Match 6 of Betway SA20 Season 2 between Pretoria Capitals and Paarl Royals at Centurion today is officially sold out. Fans who attended the opening matches at each venue this week have been treated to entertaining cricket and a jam-packed stadium experience, as the excitement for this season captures the country.
Pretoria Capitals will have the opportunity to avenge their Betway SA20 opening defeat to Paarl Royals in front of a packed house when they host the Western Cape team at Centurion at 15h30 (SAST).
The two sides met just a couple of days ago at Boland Park where the Royals maximised home advantage to clinch victory.
The Royals’ spinners were particularly good in their conditions, but face an entirely different prospect up on the Highveld.
Stand-in Capitals captain Jimmy Neesham acknowledged that the Royals had outplayed them in their competition opener, but promised that matters would be entirely different the second time around.
“You don't take too much from such a loss, you can't have belters in every game, but the surface will be different (in Centurion),” Neesham said. “We have a lot of experience and it is a case of dusting ourselves off.”
Meanwhile, the Royals are hoping to maintain the winning momentum on the road.
They are also likely to unleash English speed merchant John Turner on the fast and bouncy Highveld surface.
“Johny really is (fast). He is a nice young and up and coming international fast bowler. He has fitted in really well into the squad perfectly,” said Royals head coach Shane Bond.
“We’ve got a really nice squad of youth and experience.”
The Capitals and Royals have met on three occasions in the Betway SA20. with each team taking the honours on their home ground. The Royals, of course, have won twice at Boland Park, while the Capitals claimed victory at Centurion last season.
The Capitals will hope the trend continues at Centurion on Sunday, but the Royals will no doubt look to change that statistic.
The match starts at 15h30 (SAST).
Fans are encouraged to secure their tickets for the remaining league matches to ensure they don't miss out on the world-class cricket and entertainment. Tickets are available at www.SA20.co.za
FULL SQUADS FOR CENTURION
Pretoria Capitals: Wayne Parnell (captain), Matthew Boast, Corbin Bosch, Eathan Bosch, Shane Dadswell, Theunis de Bruyn, Daryn Dupavillon, Colin Ingram, Will Jacks, Senuran Muthusamy, Jimmy Neesham, Migael Pretorius, Adil Rashid, Rilee Rossouw, Phil Salt, Paul Stirling, Tiaan van Vuuren, Kyle Verreynne, Hardus Viljoen.
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.
Match officials:
Referee: Barry Lambson
On-field umpires: Marais Erasmus and Arno Jacobs
TV umpire: Denis Smith
Reserve umpire: Lauren Agenberg