Paarl Royals captain David Miller’s participation in the rest of the SA20 season and the T20 World Cup is up in the air after he sustained a groin injury while fielding. (Photo: Shaun Roy / Sportzpics for SA20) 
The SA20 playoffs have been set as Durban’s Super Giants and defending champions MI Cape Town are the sides who will cease taking part in this season’s competition after finishing fifth and sixth respectively.
It’s the third time in four seasons of the tournament that MI Cape Town have finished with the wooden spoon.
The final match of the regular season on Monday in Paarl had Aiden Markram and his Durban’s Super Giants men watching in keen anticipation of a victory for home side Paarl Royals.
But the 44-run victory by Joburg Super Kings meant that they successfully sneaked into to the playoff stages. It’s the third successive season that they have made it through as the last qualifying side.
The Super Kings did it against the odds in Paarl, playing with their third captain of the campaign and against a Royals side desperate to finish in the top two in the standings.
English opening batter James Vince took the reins on Monday after regular skipper Faf du Plessis suffered a thumb ligament tear. Big hitter Donovan Ferreira took over the captaincy for their penultimate match against the Pretoria Capitals before he sustained a shoulder injury while fielding.
/file/attachments/orphans/ROY10660_361285.jpg "Joburg Super Kings captain Donovan Ferreira leaves the field after injuring his shoulder during their match against Pretoria Capitals at the Wanderers. (Photo: Shaun Roy / Sportzpics for SA20)")
Ferreira faced one ball while batting before he walked off the field, clutching his arm.
In Monday’s match between Paarl Royals and the Super Kings, Paarl captain David Miller didn’t come out bat after hurting his groin in the field.
“We’re not sure if he tweaked his groin or if it’s a bit stiff,” was the initial assessment by Royals coach Trevor Penney.
“We didn’t want to risk him because he could have potentially ripped it.”
Suddenly the Proteas middle order for the T20 World Cup looks bare, with Ferreira and Miller having been locked in for the national side’s starting XI for next month’s tournament.
If the pair fail to recover from their respective injuries, a reshuffle in the Proteas order, as well as a possible call-up for the stars of this season’s SA20, is likely.
They join the sick bay currently occupied by Tony de Zorzi, who has taken no part in the ongoing SA20 season, although selector Patrick Moroney confirmed he is on track to be part of the national side to play West Indies from 27 January.
Penney for your thoughts
Joburg Super Kings’ victory on Monday night means there will be a repeat of the fixture, with Paarl Royals looking to take revenge in the eliminator.
The match on Thursday will take place on the Highveld in Centurion though, which might favour the Super Kings.
Had the Royals won their final group-stage match they would have played in Qualifier one against Sunrisers Eastern Cape. Instead the side from Gqeberha will take on the Pretoria Capitals in Durban tomorrow. The winner of Qualifier one goes straight to Saturday’s final at Newlands Cricket Ground.
The loser has another opportunity to reach the final when they play the winner of Thursday’s eliminator in Qualifier two for the other spot in the final.
“We could have played against [Sunrisers Eastern Cape] who are like a World XI as well,” coach Trevor Penney said about failing to finish in the top two. “Playing against [Joburg Super Kings], they’re not as good as that but normally that means nothing in playoffs.
“We’ll just have to concentrate on what we can do and that’s what we’ve done all season.
“We’re not really worried who we’re playing [against]. We just need to get our level back to how it was a few games ago.”
/file/attachments/orphans/SPCS2526_525600.jpg "Paarl Royals coach Trevor Penney has bemoaned the fact that there hasn’t been a playoff fixture in Paarl before. (Photo: Toby Gaunt / SPORTZPICS for SA20)")
No home advantage
The playoff stadiums are set out before the season starts. It doesn’t reward teams who finish higher on the log with home advantage.
“I don’t know why we don’t ever get a semifinal here; we’ve made the playoffs a lot over the last few years,” Penney said.
Across the four seasons, the final has either been hosted at the Wanderers in Johannesburg or Newlands in Cape Town.
“I can’t believe there’s no final here after winning the tournament twice,” Sunrisers Eastern Cape batter Matthew Breetzke said.
“I don’t understand why there’s no final here and the crowd here is probably one of the best in the country.
“They need to relook at that because it would be a special moment for Gqeberha. The crowd is our 12th man, and they’ve gotten us through the tough moments.”
The Sunrisers lost only three matches this season, with two washed out. Of their five wins, four were with a bonus point. Despite not having home advantage, the star-studded side heads into the playoffs with a third title within reach. DM