Knights vs North West, CSA 4-Day Division 1, Today Match Prediction 07 November 2024

KNG vs NWEST Match Prediction & Analysis

The CSA 4-Day Series is back for its next season and the Knights have kicked off on a winning note. North West were also impressive with the bat in the second innings after having trailed in the first.

Ruan de Swardt, Rubin Hermann, and Miguel Pretorius delivered some impactful performances in the middle and lower order to help North West bounce back in the second innings.

Knights, on the other hand, were brilliant with the ball in the last innings while defending 291 runs. They bowled out the opposition for just 122 runs, securing a 169-run win.

Johannes van Dyk picked a fifer in the second and a four-fer in the first innings, playing a key role in the Knights’ 169-run victory over Boland. He will be a key player to watch out for in this match.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Knights Preview

Knights will be coming to Bloemfontein with a lot of confidence after their recent win in Paarl. They managed to score 266 runs batting first with Aaron Phangiso being the top-scorer in the innings with his 73-run knock at number 8.

The middle-order batters bounced back in the second innings as the Knights finished with 291 runs on the board. Garnett Tarr, Dian Forrester, and Gihahn Cloete all made significant contributions.

The openers were also decent with a 50+ run partnership. The comeback with the bat followed by an exceptional bowling performance is a brilliant start to this season for the Knights.

In addition to Johannes van Dyk, left-arm orthodox bowler Aaron Phangiso also played a key role with the ball picking up 3 wickets in each inning. He is another bowler to watch out for in this Test.

It is a balanced wicket at the Mangaung Oval and pacers will find great help from the surface. Sithembile Langa and Malusi Siboto need to their Dyk in the pace department.

Knights Predicted Playing XI:

Isaac Dikgale, Lesego Senokwane (c), Garnett Tarr, Dian Forrester, Patrick Botha, Gihahn Cloete (wk), Ruan Cronje, Aaron Phangiso, Malusi Siboto, Johannes van Dyk, Sithembile Langa

North West Preview

There are some solid players in this squad. They need to bounce back and deliver a more consolidated team effort. Though the batters made a comeback in the second innings, only 1 of the top 5 batters made any significant impact.

The top and middle order will be a matter of concern for skipper Wihaan Lubbe coming into this match. If it wasn’t for Ruan de Swardt and Miguel Pretorius in the lower order stepping up and delivering big knocks in the lower order, North West would not have drawn the Test.

They were 5 down for 153 runs while chasing a 445-run target. Rubin Hermann was the fifth wicket to fall. With all of their key batters back in the hut, North West were staring at a huge loss but the lower-order batters rose to the occasion to save the Test.

There are some strong batters in the top order with Janneman Malan and Matthew Kleinveldt opening the innings for the side. Rubin Hermann and skipper Wihan Lubbe at 4 and 5 respectively make for a strong middle-order as well.

Ruan de Swardt is a key all-rounder to watch out for. He picked up 5 for 52 and scored 92 runs in the first innings. Miguel Pretorius will lead with the ball along with the skipper and right-arm off-break bowler Wihaan Lubbe.

They need to improve their bowling performances too. They were outplayed by the opposition in both innings and need to deliver a strong bowling performance in the 1st innings here.

North West Predicted Playing XI:

Janneman Malan, Matthew Kleinveldt, Lesiba Ngoepe, Rubin Hermann, Wihan Lubbe (c), Ruan de Swardt, Migael Pretorius, Meeka eel Prince (wk), Bamanye Xenxe, Kerwin Mungroo, Achille Cloete

Weather Conditions

It will be mostly cloudy with a high of 31 degrees Celsius in Bloemfontein on Day 1 of the Test match. However, there are scattered thunderstorms predicted on all the remaining days of the match. This could affect the outcome of this Test and if there is rain every day, we are less likely to have a winner in this Test.

KNG vs NWEST Pitch Report

It is a decent wicket overall with plenty of help for everyone. Batters will enjoy playing in these conditions in the first couple of days. The average 1st innings score is 411 runs and 301 in the second innings at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein. The pitch would offer greater help for the bowlers on the final day of the test and hence we expect the team batting first to have the upper hand in the contest.

Toss: To Bat

There have been only 5 Tests played at this venue in Bloemfontein so far and teams batting first have won 3 of them. We expect a good 1st innings total at this pitch and it won’t be easy to chase down a competitive target in the 4th innings. Knights have a strong and in-form bowling attack and will back themselves to defend a total once again.