Big weekend for Garden Route Badgers

CRICKET NEWS - The Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers will take on the formidable Tuskers in the Cricket South Africa Division 1 four-day competition this weekend.

Both teams were victorious in their opening match of the competition, but the Tuskers are the log leaders following a victory by an innings and 19 runs against the Eastern Storm in Benoni last weekend.

The Badgers will have home ground advantage at the Recreation Ground.

The Badgers won their opening match by 148 runs against the Eastern Cape Iianyathi – also away from home, but the Tuskers will take a lot of confidence from their individual performances that include a double century by the captain, Michael Erlank (234), a century by Sean Gilson (128) and 10 wickets in the match haul from Zihaad Abrahams.

With the exception of Ruan Terblanche (ankle injury), all the Badgers players are fit and ready to go.

Coach Gurshwin Rabie has put a vote of confidence in the team that defeated the Iinayathi, and will field an unchanged starting eleven.

Gurshwin Rabie and the captain, Yaseen Valli, share the same sentiment - that this match will be a real test of the ability of the team to make the 2024/25 season a successful one.

nThe Badgers team for the weekend is: Yaseen Valli (captain), Luke Beaufort, Khwezi Gumede, Kyle Jacobs, Thomas Kaber, Kelly Smuts, Jarred Jardine, Tyrece Karelse, Sintu Majiza, Liyabona Malifi and George van Heerden.

Yaseen Valli, who will captain the Badgers against the Tuskers this weekend, is confident about their winning chances.