
The powerful big hitting Christiaan Jonker will boost a confident SWD cricket team when they travel to Paarl this weekend. Jonker, who was released from the Chevrolet Warriors, was included in the SWD line-up that will face Boland over the weekend. Ross McMillan and his troops will be very keen to keep the momentum after recent victories in both the Three Day and Twenty20 against Easterns in Benoni.
The SWD team will be looking to gain the top spot in Pool A of the Sunfoil Three Day Cup and an outright victory against a struggling Boland will strengthen their chances. SWD (55.28 points after 6 matches) is in 3rd place behind North West and log leaders Western Province (63 points after 6 matches).
The bad news is that SWD’s leading batsman in the Sunfoil Three Day Cup, Waldo Lategan, who is suffering from an ankle injury which he picked-up during the warm-up session a week ago will not be fit to make the trip to Paarl. Lategan who scored 370 runs at an average of 63.16 will be replaced by Neil Hornbuckle.
Lonwabo Rodolo, who is in great form with the ball, is also injured and Siyabonga Booi will get another run in the longer format. The Paarl wicket will hopefully provide an opportunity for the leg spinner Siya Simetu to show his real potential whilst Brendon Louw will also be keen to demonstrate his potential with the bat.
The team for the weekend is Ross McMillan, Neil Hornbuckle, Luthando Mnyanda, Sammy-Joe Avontuur, Christiaan Jonker, Brendon Louw, Pieter Stuurman, Siyabonga Booi, Siya Simetu, Lyndon Volkwyn and Gurshwin Rabie. Erinn Ewerts, Marcello Piedt and Otneill Baartman will be added for the Twenty20 match.