Spartans opener can take the the fight to Jozi

Jozi Stars v Tshwane Spartans
FreeSports, 5pm Tuesday

Tshwane Spartans will probably need to win both of their remaining Mzansi Super League games if they are to gatecrash the top three and make the season-ending playoffs.

The first of those clashes is against second-placed Jozi Stars and the Spartans could be value outsiders to keep their playoff dreams alive.

Tshwane have won three of their last four outings with their only defeat in that time coming against table-toppers Cape Town Blitz. The sequence includes a four-wicket win over Tuesday’s opponents when Dean Elgar’s unbeaten 79 helped them chase down 186 with three balls to spare.

The visitors’ cause has been aided by the news that Jozi opener Chris Gayle has been forced to cut his Super League stint short after the death of his mother.

Even without the Windies superstar, Jozi still have plenty of firepower in Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen, who have each scored more than 300 runs in this year’s competition.

The Spartans have some powerful batsmen of their own with AB de Villiers, Elgar and England one-day skipper Eoin Morgan in their ranks.

However, that illustrious trio could be upstaged by Gihahn Cloete. The wicketkeeper-batsman has fired three fifties in the tournament, including 65 against the Giants on Saturday, and could star again in Johannesburg.

Recommendation
G Cloete top match runscorer
1pt 7-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

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