Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain Tristan Stubbs is banking on his team’s playoff experience to see them past Pretoria Capitals in the Betway SA20 Qualifier 1 at Kingsmead on Wednesday.
Two-time champions Sunrisers have qualified for the playoffs in every edition and featured in each of the three grand finals contested thus far.
They are now eager to book a fourth successive final place and Stubbs believes his side are well-equipped to do so.
“The fact that we have a lot of the same guys who have played in these games before. They know what it takes to get the job done, which definitely helps. I definitely think so,” Stubbs said.
Veteran opening batter/wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock has been a revelation at Sunrisers after joining from Durban’s Super Giants this season. De Kock is the competition’s second leading run-scorer and has also been sensational behind the stumps where he’s claimed a couple of eye-catching grabs.
The skipper, though, feels that playoff cricket is about how the team and individuals perform on the day.
“Quinny has been awesome for us. The way he has led from the front on and off the field. He has been really good towards the youngsters,” Stubbs said.
“It’s good to know we’ve played well throughout the season, but heading into the playoffs, you start at 0 for 0. It’s nice to have momentum into the playoffs, but it doesn’t mean much at all.”
Pretoria Capitals skipper Keshav Maharaj will meanwhile be hoping to utilise his vast experience of playing at Kingsmead to his team’s advantage in Qualifier 1.
“I’ve played first-class cricket here for the last 20 years. I understand the conditions,” Maharaj said.
“Things have changed a bit, a new groundsman taking over, so it’s about assessing the conditions on the day, and getting the boys rallied up to play with high energy and high intensity.”
In contrast to Sunrisers, the Capitals’ top-order has misfired during the competition bar opener Shai Hope’s century at Kingsmead against Durban’s Super Giants in the group stages.
A lot has rested on Sherfane Rutherford’s powerful shoulders to rebuild the innings in the middle-order, but Maharaj wants his team to start on the front foot in Qualifier 1.
Maharaj has called on his top-order to play a bigger role at Kingsmead.
“Bar one game, as a top order we haven’t got the starts that we wanted. Shai Hope got a 100 here last time. That was probably our best start,” Maharaj said.
“It is something we are addressing, and hopefully we can rectify that in the games that matters most.”
“We are still in search of playing a clinical game of cricket in all facets of the game. Hopefully that holds us in good stead, and we can peak at the right time in this competition.”
The winner of Qualifier 1 will progress directly through to the coveted Betway SA20 Season 4 Final on Sunday, January 25 at Newlands (16:30 SAST start)
The loser gets another opportunity in Qualifier 2 on Friday, January 23 at the Wanderers against the winner of Thursday’s Eliminator between Paarl Royals (third) and Joburg Super Kings (fourth) at Centurion (17:30 SAST start).
