Champions League T20: Victoria vs. Wayamba – Match Preview
Victoria will face off bottom place Wayamba today in the Airtel Champions League T20 tournament at SuperSport Park, Centurion. To earn a place in the semi-final of the league, Victoria must win today’s match with a massive margin.
The race for the semi-finals in Group A, was spiced up with Victoria Bushrangers’ Super Over victory against Chennai Super Kings on Saturday. The semi-finalists of Group A would have been decided on Saturday had the Kings beaten Bushrangers at Port Elizabeth
but David Hussey’s pyrotechnics in the Super Over, after the match had been tied at 162, turned the tables and brought the Victorians back into the race for a spot in the semi-finals. The Victoria-Chennai game was the 32nd T20 game in seven years
of the format and the second in the history of Champions league to finish in the Super Over.
The bottom placed Wayamba has so far played two matches losing both of them but http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jehan-Mubarak-c66822 and Mahela Jayawardene, have so far failed
to fire. The bowling department of Wayamba, led by Ajantha Mendis, was torn apart by the Chennai Super Kings. Not even Chanaka Welegedara could help his side stop the blitz but today the Wayambians would step in SuperSport Park knowing that a flop today would
knock them out of the lucrative league.
For Victorians as well, today’s match is a must-win encounter to keep them in the race for the next round. The Bushrangers, after losing their Champions League’s T20 opener at the hands of Warriors, made a strong comeback by winning the next consecutive
fixtures, though both the victories came in the last over and such a victory today would mean the Victorians go back home without making it to the semi-finals. So today’s clash at Centurion is not only a must-win but also the victory should be with a big margin
to remain in the hunt for the semi-final berth.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rob-Quiney-c2340 was played down the order.
Despite injuries, the Bushrangers are expected to come up with the same XI that played against Chennai this weekend.
Dirk Nannes is just a wicket behind the leading T20 wicket taker of the year, Kieron Pollard. Pollard has picked up 60 wickets in T20 games this year followed by Dirk Nannes, who has taken 59 wickets. Today’s match will provide him a chance to lead the list
and let’s see whether Nannes remains successful in availing the chance or not.
Wayamba’s bowling department collapsed against Chennai. Exorbitant Chanaka Welegedara conceded 47 runs in his four-over spell, while Ajanta Mendis finished wicketless after being mauled for 45 in four overs. The all-rounder Farveez Maharoof could not make
the playing XIs against Chennai Super Kings due to an injury but a fit again Maharoof would be a good addition in both departments, bowling as well as batting.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/R-Ashwin-c2228 of Chennai Super Kings. The variations of Ashwin were well picked by David Hussey and Aaron Finch and both the players targeted Ashwin for harsh treatment. Mendis, coming into the fixture
after a mauling at the hands of Kings, can face a more vulnerable situation, if he fails to keep his nerves against the Victorian line-up.
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