Pool B of Momentum One Day Cup gets underway on Friday with a clash between the Lions and the Cape Cobras at Potchefstroom
This season's tournament will be staged entirely in a Potchefstroom Covid secure environment and Pool A has already been completed with the Dolphins taking top spot ahead of the Knights who also qualify for the semi finals and the Titans missed out.
Pool B is home for the Cobras, Lions and Warriors and first up the Lions take on the Cobras.
Lions
At the end of last season's MODC round robin stage the Lions were in the runners up spot,2 points behind the Dolphins. They would have had a home semi final to look forward to but Covid put paid to the rest of the tournament and the Dolphins were declared the champions. The Lions won 6 of their 10 matches, losing 3 and no result was possible in the other. They beat the Cobras by 49 runs in Paarl and by 1 wicket in Potch where they chased down 305 for victory.
At the time of writing definitive team news from the Lions camp was thin on the ground but they will be without a whole host of Proteas who are involved in the Pakistan tour .
Cobras
The Cobras had a poor time of it in this competition last season. They finished bottom of the log with 2 wins and 8 defeats against their name, a bitter disappointment given they won 2 of their first 3 games.
Ashwell Prince has some new names to work with but there is plenty of experience with the likes of skipper Zubayr Hamza, Janneman Malan, Pieter Malan and new signing Christiaan Jonker. The all round talents of Jason Smith are also available after injury.
Squad: Zubayr Hamza (Captain), Aviwe Mgijima, Benjamin Ward, Christiaan Jonker, Corbin Bosch, Imraan Manack, Janneman Malan, Jason Smith, Jean Du Plessis, Jonathan Bird, Nandre Burger, Onke Nyaku, Pieter Malan, Siyabonga Mahima, Tony De Zorzi, Ziyaad Abrahams
Potchefstroom
With all the matches being staged at this venue the pitches will be well worth keeping an eye on, especially as the 4 of the 6 scheduled matches in Pool A were washed out without a ball bowled..
The Betting
Lions 4/5 Sunbet
Cobras 19/20 Betway
Note, odds quoted are available at the time of writing but are subject to change
The Verdict:
The Cobras squad looks to have depth in the batting department and whilst I may be taking a chance that their bowling unit clicks I will give my vote to the Western Cape side.
Bets: Cobras to win 11/10 Betway
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