Highveld Lions v Sydney Sixers - Champions League Twenty20 2012 (Group B) – Match Preview [Part 1]
Two of the strongest sides in the 2012 edition of the Champions League Twenty20 – the Sydney Sixers and the Highveld Lions – clash today on October 18 in the 10th match of the ongoing tournament, in what is bound to prove an evenly balanced and
gripping contest at Newlands in Cape Town.
With the tournament half-way though the league stage, the knockouts are in plain sight, and a victory in today’s contest will put the winning team well within range of the semi-finals – an advantage both teams will be eager to claim.
Judging by their record in the tournament so far, it could be anyone’s game today. Both teams come into the match on the back of two successive victories, and boast powerful batting line-ups coupled with intense pace attacks.
Reigning champions of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 Big Bash Twenty20 League, the Sydney Sixers are currently at the top of the Group B points table (by virtue of a net run rate superior to that of the Lions’), and have won both of the matches they have played so far. The team
defeated the Chennai Super Kings by 14 runs in their first match on October 14, and completely annihilated http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Yorkshire-c867 in their most recent game, claiming a comprehensive 8-wicket win. The Sixers have a superb T20 record overall, having won 9 of the 11 games
they have played in the format so far.
The Lions, runners up from South Africa’s MiWAY T20 Challenge, have been similarly successful, even though they are fairly low in star power, when compared to the Sixers. The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Lions-c808 have operated like a well-oiled machine, and had particular success with
chasing in the tournament so far. They beat CLT20 defending champions, the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mumbai-c820 Indians, by 8 wickets in their first match, and went on to claim a 6-wicket win over the Chennai Super Kings in their most recent match – feats which see them placed at number
two on the Group B points table.
A cursory glance at the Sixers’ line-up sees star all-rounder http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 World Twenty20 earlier this month, the 31-year-old is a vital part of the Sixers’ batting order
and bowling attack. Owing to national duties, he is due to leave the tournament early, which means the Sixers will need to adjust to life without http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326. However, the recent victory against Yorkshire, which saw Watson dismissed on 11, revealed that other batsmen
are just as capable of getting the job done.
Alongside Watson, the Sixers have English batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SPD-Smith-c2555.
Youngster http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Moises-Henriques-c2021 has established himself as a reliable all-rounder.
Their fierce pace attack is probably the Sixers’ deadliest weapon, featuring youngsters http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Josh-Reginald-Hazlewood-c69504, alongside Watson and Henriques. The quicks scythed through Yorkshire’s batting order in the previous match, restricting
them to a paltry total of 96, which posed no difficulties for their batsmen. Exploiting the pace and bounce on South African pitches to full effect, the Sixers’ quicks have been a near-unstoppable force, having claimed 17 of the 18 wickets the team has taken
in the tournament so far.
Continued in Part 2 ...
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