Warriors vs Knights, 4-Day Franchise Series 2022-23, Today Match Prediction

warriors vs kng Match Prediction & Analysis

Warriors would be eyeing the top spot in the Division 1 points table with another win here at St George’s Park. At the moment, they are just one point behind the table toppers.

Though a win looks unlikely given the Knights’ current form, they’ve got just two chances to ensure they don’t end up winless this season. 

In spite of bowling out the Dolphins for just 253 runs in the 1st innings of their last Test, the Knights failed to get the upper hand in the match. The batting order just failed to make any impact. Raynard van Tonder is the only batsman to have scored a hundred for the Knights in recent outings.

Marco Jansen and Swanepoel in the Warriors' bowling attack are consistent performers who will pose a tough challenge to the Knights. Batting isn’t easy at St George’s Park. It will take a very disciplined batting effort to gain an advantage in this contest.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Warriors Preview

Rudi Second will be keen on leading his team to another win in the 4-Day Franchise Series. He has an overall strong side with in-form batsmen throughout the lineup.

There is always someone who steps up to the occasion to deliver a match-winning knock. The 23-year-old wicket-keeper batsman Qeshile joined the party with a hundred at number 6 in the last game.

In their last win at this venue, it was Breetzke who scored an unbeaten 112 at number 4 in the 1st innings and followed it up with a 91-run knock in the second. Among other consistent batters, the Warriors have their openers Kyle Jacobs and Jordan Hermann and another reliable middle-order batsman Diego Rosier.

The all-rounders in the side add depth to an already strong batting lineup. Marco Jansen, Swanepoel, and Stuurman can all be handy with the bat in the lower order.

These three lead the Warriors' bowling attack and are the key players to watch out for with the ball. Wihan Lube, a batting all-rounder who bowls right-arm off-break will also be handy with the ball.

The variety in the bowling attack gives the Warriors an edge in the contest. Their bowlers are delivering consistently and the batters have adapted well to the difficult playing conditions at St George’s Park. 

Warriors Predicted Playing XI:

Kyle Jacobs, Jordan Hermann, Diego Rosier, Matthew Breetzke, Rudi Second (c), Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), Marco Jansen, Glenton Stuurman, Beyers Swanepoel, Tsepo Ndwandwa, Ziyaad Abrahams

Knights Preview

The Knights are at the bottom with no wins and with just two more games left, skipper Patrick Botha would be hoping for a change in their fortunes. A win would definitely seem like a far cry given their current form and how strong the opposition is.

Their losses have been huge as they lost by an innings 100+ runs twice in November of 2022. When the season restarted in February 2023, the Knights started off on a promising note as they bowled out Dolphins for 253 in the 1st innings. However, their batting had not improved a bit even after the long break.

Knights were all out for 165 and 145 runs in both innings losing the match by 279 runs. Gerald Coetzee and Migael Pretorius will be the key bowlers to help the Knights get the upper hand on this bowling-friendly track at St George's Park.

While there are no in-form batsmen in this squad, Matthew Kleinveldt, Pite van Biljon, and Ryanard van Tonder are the most promising players in the batting lineup. Tonder looked in good touch at number 3 in recent outings and can be expected to lead the batting effort at the top.

Knights Predicted Playing XI:

Isaac Dikgale, Matthew Kleinveldt, Pite van Biljon, Raynard van Tonder, Patrick Kruger, Gihahn Cloete (wk), Patrick Botha (c), Migael Pretorius, Gerald Coetzee, Monde Maqunqu, Nhlakanipho Mpungose

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

It is a bowling-friendly surface at St George’s Park in Gqeberha. The batters will need to be patient and execute their shots with perfect timing to score runs. The weather will be partly cloudy with a high of 24 degrees Celsius.

Venue Details

St George’s Park in Gqeberha will host this 4-Day Test between Warriors and Knights. This will be the Warriors’ 3rd Test at Gqeberha this season. A 350+ total in the 1st innings would set the team batting first on the right path to victory.

Toss: To Bat

The best time to score runs is the first few days as conditions get even more difficult to bat as time progresses. Chasing a total will not be easy for either team in the 4th innings and it is ideal for both sides to opt to bat first.