The Ram Slam T20 Challenge kicks off on Sunday with all six teams in action in three matches on the opening day of the competition. Two of the matches are live on Sky in the UK as our winter fix of cricket continues at a strong pace.
The action begins in Cape Town when the two sides expected to struggle in this tournament meet when the Warriors face the Knights. The Warriors have been going great guns in the Momentum One Day Cup this season and that is reflected in the odds for this match.
That said long term in this tournament I think the Knights will go better than the Warriors but they are without their overseas import Andre Russell for this match and that puts me off a little even though the likes of Rilee Rossouw and Reeza Hendricks could easily get the job done for them.
The second match of the day comes from Centurion as the tournament favourites the Titans host Kevin Pietersen and his Dolphins franchise. The Titans are missing some big players with the likes of AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis and Morne Morkel out in India but they look to have some key players left to ensure they better their last placed finish from last season.
The Dolphins have a powerful batting line up headed by Pietersen but with the likes of David Miller around it is hard to see the 2013-14 champions going short of runs. Imran Tahir is out in India with the South Africa Test squad though and Dwayne Bravo takes over from Kevin Pietersen so their bowling attack could be a little weak.
There is a bet I like in this match and that is for there to be 10 or more sixes in it. With the quality of batsmen on show here coupled with the ball going further with the altitude I’m expecting to see plenty of runs here. Neither bowling attack is what you would call full strength at the minute so I’m expecting the batsmen to be on top in this one.
Perhaps the match of the opening day is the final one though as the Cape Cobras host the Highveld Lions in Cape Town. The Cobras will be without some real top stars in the form of Hashim Amla, Dale Steyn, JP Duminy and Vernon Philander but the likes of Richard Levi, Wayne Parnell and Rory Kleinveldt should all be above domestic level.
The twice champions Lions go into the match without Kagiso Rabada so Alviro Petersen and Neil McKenzie might need to score more runs than usual for the Lions to be able to get the job done. Chris Gayle was a Lion last season but he isn’t around this year and they will have to cope with that loss.
Even without their top level international stars I still think the Cobras have enough in their squad to get this one done and at 8/11 there is just about enough in the price for the champions to begin their title defence with an opening day victory.
Back Titans vs Dolphins – 10 or more sixes for a 4/10 stake at 1.80 with Bet365
Back Cape Cobras to beat Highveld Lions for a 4/10 stake at 1.73 with Coral
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