MATCH: Somerset v Warriors
DATE: Wednesday, October 5, 2011
TIME: 1600 hours IST (1030 hours GMT)
VENUE: M Chinnaswamy in Bangalore
The last but one league stage game of the Champions League T20 game between Somerset and Warriors will be a must-win one for the two sides.
Past Record:
Warriors opened their campaign with a couple of wins, against the Royal Challengers Bangalore and South Australia. Both were reasonably convincing, given that they chased down 173 in the first one and won the second one by 50 runs. Then, in a rain-afflicted, D/L system-decided third game, they lost to the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Somerset, much like the Warriors, had an excellent beginning. They qualified for the main tournament with two wins in a row and then defeated the Knight Riders for their third victory – first in the main competition. Unfortunately for them, the momentum seemed to be lost when they did not play for another week or so, given their rained-off game against South Australia and were humbled by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in their match.
Side-effect:
For Somerset (11/10 at
Ladbrokes), the equation is rather simple; they win, they are definitely through to the semi-finals, while if they lose, they are definitely out of the tournament.
On the other hand, Warriors (10/11 at
Stan James), with four points, will qualify if they win the game, but if they lose, a lot will then depend on the last game of the tournament between Bangalore and South Australia – with chances of net run-rate coming into the picture.
Team News:
Somerset could look to tweak their bowling around for the pitch at Bangalore does not support their strategy of going in with three spinners. George Dockrell could make way for Adam Dibble or Lewis Gregory if they are fit enough to play. The batting looks good enough but Roelof van der Merwe (5/1 at
Ladbrokes) may want to give himself some time before he goes after the bowling. He is the form player who Somerset will depend on.
Warriors will be happy to be bowling on such a track. They have the ammunition to extract the pace and whatever little swing possible, what with the likes of Tsotsobe, Parnell and Juan Theron in the squad.
Who is hot?
Peter Trego is clearly the man to watch out for the Somerset side while the Warriors will want more from JJ Smuts (4/1 at
Coral) at the top of the order.
Prediction:
The Warriors have the team to defeat Somerset.
