After another annoying rain affected contest on Thursday, the Mzansi Super League returns to sunnier climbs on Friday when the Paarl Rocks take on the Jozi Stars at Boland Park with both sides looking for a big win.
This has been a frightful start to the title defence of the Stars as they have lost all four matches they have played, and if they don’t win here they can kiss their title goodbye. It isn’t quite so bleak for the Rocks but they would still welcome a win.
Paarl Rocks
When the Paarl Rocks absolutely destroyed the Cape Town Blitz in their opening match, it looked like they were going to launch a serious challenge to the tournament, but things have not gone to plan since then. They could do nothing about a match with the Durban Heat being washed out but they looked like they were in command against the Tshwane Spartans last time out, only to deliver a pretty ordinary bowling performance and not come close to winning.
That was a reminder that no matter how well they played in that first match that they can’t take their foot off the pedal. They have a very strong looking bowling attack so it was something of a surprise that it struggled against the Spartans. They will be out to make up for that here. There are still a couple of attractive batsmen who are still to find their form for the Rocks, so there is plenty of improvement in them.
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Jozi Stars
It has been an absolute horror show of a start to the season for the Jozi Stars. Already they have run into that unhelpful combination of not scoring enough runs and leaking far too many of them, and that is a rot they are going to have to stop pretty soon if they are to take their title defence deep. It might already be beyond them but at most they can afford one more loss, if indeed they can even afford that.
They really need Chris Gayle to find some form. He hasn’t fired at all in this tournament and with two matches left before he departs it will benefit everyone if he can show something before he goes. To be fair to Gayle, he isn’t the only one not performing for the Stars, emphasised by the fact that they haven’t made 145 in any of their last three matches. You don’t win many matches in these franchise events without scoring 150+.
Betting
I don’t see beyond the Paarl Rocks here. That is no surprise to anyone I’m sure as I’ve been pretty buoyant about their chances all season so far. While it is a concern that their bowling didn’t deliver the goods last time out, I’m prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt for that, and actually they are up against a faltering and under pressure batting line up here, which should allow them to bounce back.
The Jozi Stars are clearly better than what they have shown in the tournament to date, but unfortunately for them they are getting worse rather than better and the margins of their losses are getting greater, which is never a good thing. The Rocks have been batting nicely and I’m pretty convinced that their bowlers will perform better here so I’m happy to be on the home side and hope this isn’t the day Chris Gayle comes to the party.
Tips
WON – Back Paarl Rocks to beat Jozi Stars for a 4/10 stake at 1.80 with Coral
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