MATCH: Cape Cobras v New South Wales Blues
DATE: Saturday, September 24, 2011
TIME: 1600 hours IST (1030 hours GMT)
VENUE: M Chidamabaram Stadium in Chennai
Chennai play host to the first group A clash that will be played between the 2009 CLT20 winners, New South Wales and the South African Standard Bank Pro20 2010-11 season victors Cobras.
Past Record:
New South Wales (8/11 at
Stan James) had won the inaugural edition of the Champions League T20 but had failed to qualify for the tournament in its second year as Victoria and South Australia edged past them in the KFC Big Bash League.
The Cobras (5/4 at
Boylesports), much like the New South Wales, had made it through to the first edition of the CL20 but did not qualify for the second edition before winning the SB ProT20 and getting the chance to play this year.
The two, Cobras and Blues did not meet in the first edition of the tournament.
Side-effect:
This is the first Group B game but Simon Katich will understand the importance of a good start. Despite the obvious strength of the team, the Blues have the likes of Chennai, Mumbai and Trinidad and Tobago to follow, a win will be a must. The same applies with the Cobras as well but given the unpredictable nature of their side, the chances of upsetting the apple-cart would be higher for them.
Team News:
The Cape Cobras are being captained by Justin Kemp and not their skipper from 2009, Andrew Puttick. The Cobras have a strong batting otherwise, what with JP Duminy and Herschelle Gibbs at the top and Standard Bank ProT20 top-scorer Owais Shah (4/1 at
Blue Square) in the middle-order.
With Dale Steyn to take the new ball and Charl Langeveldt as their end-overs specialist, the side has a good pace attack. The spin is bolstered by Justin Ontong and Robin Peterson, who had a wonderful World Cup with the ball, and that suggests that the side has a fair balance to it.
New South Wales will be led by the recently Australian discard Simon Katich but the batting will revolve around the likes of all-rounder Shane Watson (3/1 at
Boylesports) and Dave Warner (7/2 at
Boylesports). Warner had a good T20I against Sri Lanka and will look to build on that.
Interestingly, with Watson, Warner, Katich and Phil Hughes in the side, it is a problem of aplenty when it comes to the openers. Watson could come down the order.
The bowling is well-endowed when it comes to pace but with Nathan Hauritz as their most experienced spinner, things could get a tad tough for them on a slow Chennai track.
Who is hot?
It will be interesting to see how the Cobras go with their spinners. Traditionally, South African outfits aren’t too known by their slower bowlers’ success but after what happened in the World Cup, they could just be the Cobras’ secret weapon.
New South Wales will hope for some raw pace from Patrick Cummins, one bowler who has been much spoken about in the KFC Big Bash circles.
Prediction:
New South Wales Blues should be favourites but I am particularly excited about the battle between their batsmen and the Cobras spinners.
