CSA Provincial T20 Knock Out: Quarter-Final Predictions

Six Gun Grill South Western Districts and Western Province are through to the quarter-finals of the CSA Provincial T20 Knock Out competition. Who’s joining them in the Quarters?

Bet Central scribe Ongama Gcwabe predicts teams to fill the six remaining quarterfinal spots.

The CSA Provincial Knock Out Competition got underway this past weekend with Pool A teams going head-to-head for two quarter-final spots.

Northern Cape, Western Province, South Western District and Lions locked horns in Kimberly to get the competition started. Three teams finished on eight points with the second spot in Pool A being decided on Net run rate.

CSA Provincial T20 Knock Out: Players to Watch

SWD and Western Province both are through to the quarter-final stages of the competition. Zubayr Hamza’s knocks of 106 and 62 were the highlights of Pool A fixtures.

As a Division 2 team, SWD pulled off a huge upset to the mighty Lions who were champions last season in two of the three domestic competitions that were on show.

Bet Central looks to the remaining rounds of the competition to see which teams have the potential to feature in the quarter-finals alongside SWD and Western Province:

Pool B (28-30 September)

1.   Titans

The Pretoria based team are by far one of the most successful teams in South African cricket history. Known for producing Proteas players, this side will be looking to prove themselves this season in what is a new era in SA cricket.

Having seen the Lions knocked out of the competition early, and also having witnessed Western Province come up against tough Division 2 teams, the Titans will have no complacency going into their next Pool fixtures.

The likes of Dean Elgar, Theinus de Bruyn, Junior Dala and Okuhle Cele will be instrumental for the Titans’ progression to the quarters.

2.   Mpumalanga

Already we have seen one Division 2 team progress to the quarters of the competition ahead of a star-studded Lions outfit. It’s possible. It is doable. Division 1 teams are beatable.

This young side is one of the highly anticipated sides in the country. They have a passionate, experienced coach at the helm in Gordon Matheson.

They have an exciting group of youngsters which include an in-form, Eastern Cape born allrounder in Bamanye Xenxe.

This side will be one to watch. The potential and passion to win games of cricket are there. I predict they will produce yet another upset in the competition.

Pool D (4-6 October 2021)

1.   Warriors

The Warriors have always been known for pulling together match winning performances in knockout competitions. I predict that this season will be no different for the Gqeberha based side.

Led by Robin Peterson as the coach, Sinethemba Qeshile as captain, the Warriors have the squad with all that is needed to go all the way through to the finals of the competition.

Jon-Jon Smuts, Wihan Lubbe, Eddie Moore and Tsepo Ndwandwa will be key players for the Warriors in this competition.

Playing their Pool games at the Oval in Kimberly, players with the skill sets of Mthiwekhaya Nabe will be crucial in a slow wicket which favours bowlers with a variety of deliveries in their repertoire.

2.   Rocks

Yes, cricket is not played on paper, but one look at the Rocks team tells us all we need to know as far as potential and experience is concerned.

Hardus Viljoen, Janneman Malan, Pieter Malan, Kyle Abbott are household names in SA cricket and will undoubtedly have an impact in this competition.

Viljoen boosts the Rocks side with both the Indian Premier League and Caribbean Premier League experience to name a few. The Rocks will be favourites to win this competition looking at the quality of players they have in their side.

To top it up, this Paarl based team is led by Adrian Birell who has a decorated coaching career. This is a coach who knows how to win cricket competitions.

His stints as Ireland Coach at the ICC World Cup in 2007 together with his experience coaching Paarl Rocks to Mzansi Super League victory in 2019 will be crucial for the Rocks in this competition.

Pool C (8-10 October 2021)

1.   Dolphins

In the past three to four seasons, the Dolphins have been a team hard to beat in white-ball cricket, I foresee a future with better results for them.

Their coaching staff which include Imraan Khan, Quinton Friend and Mduduzi Mbatha have been absolutely superb since they started working together.

I am certain they will look to push this Dolphins side to the quarter-finals in a gesture to thank the powers at KZN Cricket for entrusting this trio with contracts that run up to 2024.

The squad includes Grant Roelofsen, Khaya Zondo, Daryn Dupavillon, Sarel Erwee and Jason Smith who all have the attention of national selectors. In Pool C, the Dolphins will go through top of the pool I predict.

2.   North West Dragons

For so many fans around the country, this is the team with the underdog status but have all the talent and experience to win games of cricket in conditions offered by the Mangaung Oval.

Household names of the likes of Nono Pongolo, Wesley Marshall, Delano Potgieter and Heino Kuhn will all be available for the competition.

The youth of fast bowlers Chad Classen and Duan Jansen blend perfectly with the experience of Eldred Hawken and Pongolo in the side. This team can beat any other team in this competition and I predict will go all the way through to the Quarterfinals.