Mzansi Super League fixtures

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – DECEMBER 16: Ryan Rickelton of Jozi Stars plays a delivery down the leg side during the Mzansi Super League final match between Cape Town Blitz and Jozi Stars at PPC Newlands on December 16, 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Shaun Roy/Gallo Images)

Jozi Stars and Cape Town Blitz set for fierce clash in MSL opener

The Cape Town Blitz visit the home of the Jozi Stars, Wanderers, on Friday night as last season’s finalists kick off the Mzansi Super League

Mzansi Super League fixtures

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – DECEMBER 16: Ryan Rickelton of Jozi Stars plays a delivery down the leg side during the Mzansi Super League final match between Cape Town Blitz and Jozi Stars at PPC Newlands on December 16, 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Shaun Roy/Gallo Images)

The Mzansi Super League (MSL) will begin with a clash between defending champions Jozi Stars clash and Cape Town Blitz at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Friday.

The match starts at 17:30 SAST.

Jozi Stars and Blitz kick things off

Stars will shine bright with fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, last year’s tournament star player Reeza Hendricks, master blaster Chris Gayle (West Indies) and all-rounder Dan Christian (Australia) available for selection under coach Donovan Miller against the runner’s up from the first edition.

“It is a big clash,” said Rabada. “It will be nice to start off on a winning note. Blitz is a quality side and will come out guns blazing. I feel that we have had some good training in the last couple of days (since the team got together this week). Every game is big, and there does not seem to be a weak link in this tournament. Tomorrow (Friday) is the start of the MSL2.0 tournament, and it will be a great one.”

For the Ashwell Prince-coached Blitz, the team will call on the destructive batting of Quinton de Kock and Janneman Malan while they also carry a formidable attack led by speedsters Dale Steyn and Anrich Nortje who will be supported by the international marquee all-rounder, Moeen Ali, from England.

The Capetonians topped the league standings last year, starting off the campaign with successive victories but fell in the final at Newlands against an in-form Jozi Stars outfit.

“Momentum is important – we obviously started nicely (last year), we had four wins in a row at the start and we probably lost our way in the middle of the campaign,” said Prince.

Revamped Kingsmead to host match two

On Saturday, Durban Heat will be hoping to bring the fire against a combative Tshwane Spartans outfit in the first of weekend coastal battles, at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban (12.30pm start).

Cricket fans coming through the gates of Kingsmead Stadium on Saturday for the Durban Heat’s first game of the Mzansi Super League against the Tshwane Spartans will be struck by a host of new developments at the ground that form part of the “Project Kingsmead” facilities upgrade at the iconic venue.

KZN Cricket Chief Executive Officer Heinrich Strydom took the chance to unveil the first phase of the plan to revitalise Kingsmead ahead of a full summer of cricket at the Durban Heat’s season launch on Wednesday evening, when guests were able to meet the team at the new Food Court behind the East Grandstand.

Along with this revamp, the food court on the Castle Corner side of the ground has also had a significant face-lift while the next phase of the upgrade involves improvements to other facilities and services throughout the ground.

“These upgrades are all part of a plan to celebrate cricket in the province through its rich history,” Strydom said on Wednesday evening.

“We have plans to commemorate some of the province’s greatest cricketers and iconic moments that have made Hollywoodbets Kingsmead one of the most renowned cricket grounds in the country.”

Kingsmead will provide the home for the Durban Heat for the next five weeks after which it will host England in a T20 International and a One-Day International later in the summer.

The double header on Sunday will see the Cape derby between Paarl Rocks and Blitz at Boland Park in Paarl (10.00am) before the formidable Nelson Mandela Bay Giants take on Stars at St. George’s Park in Port Elizabeth (2pm). 

 – African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Michael Sherman