Spectators back for T20 play-offs this week

TOMORROW’S T20 domestic match between South Western Districts and the Northerns Titans will be the first one hosted in South Africa to be open to the public post the Covid-19 pandemic.

Given it’s midweek in October at 10am, it’s doubtful that 2 000 people will charge to the Kimberley Oval gates, but it’s an important first step that will hopefully motivate vaccine hesitant South Africans to get a jab (or two).

South African cricket follows in the footsteps of local football which welcomed fans back to FNB Stadium in Joburg last week for the national men’s team’s World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia.

As was the case at Nasrec, there’ll be strict protocols in place for those wanting to attend the play-offs of the CSA T20 Provincial Knock Out competition in Kimberley this week.

There’ll be an ‘outer ring’ around the ground, before the turnstiles where spectators’ vaccination status will be checked.

Attendees need to provide proof of vaccination, either with the original vaccine card, a printout of the government’s vaccine certificate or a digital version thereof.

Tickets for the matches cost R50, and must be purchased on-line.

“We want fans to come and experience the new look stadium experience and we remind fans that tickets will be sold on a first come first serve basis,” said Cricket SA’s acting chief executive Pholetsi Moseki.

“Due to limited capacity still and to minimise any disappointments, we encourage cricket fans and sports followers to quickly get their tickets as soon as sales open.”

With a big tour by India at the high point of the summer, the next week provides an important set of test cases for CSA as it gauges spectator management for that bigger series.

The matches this week are all tasty affairs.

Following the pool stage, which concluded last week, the remaining eight teams do battle in straight elimination affairs, with the Titans, who struggled to secure second spot in Pool B, taking on Pool A table toppers SWD.

The Oudtshoorn-based side were the only Division Two team to qualify for the last eight. They played a blend of energetic and smart cricket to see off the Central Gauteng Lions and secure a play-off position.

Jean du Plessis and Yaseen Vallie are the anchors with the bat, while 20-year-old Heath Richards provided explosive hitting with the ball.

Herschell America is the competition’s leading wicket-taker, and he will hope to repeat his heroics with the ball – and the accompanying dance moves – this week.

The Titans are sure to have put him under the microscope, however, and no doubt their batting plan will have changed as well. In the pool matches in Bloemfontein, they were far too circumspect, with their approach with the bat outdated.

The afternoon match tomorrow pits the Free State Knights against Western Province.